By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
The Senate will formally begin impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte next week after Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano announced on Thursday that senators are expected to convene as an impeachment court on May 18.
In a letter addressed to House Speaker Faustino Dy III, Cayetano said the Senate had taken “proper order” of the impeachment complaint and would proceed with the process in accordance with the Constitution and Senate impeachment rules.
“The Secretariat has been directed to include the Articles of Impeachment in the Calendar for Ordinary Business for referral to the Impeachment Court, which shall be convened on 18 May 2026, 3 p.m., or at the possible soonest time,” the letter read.
Cayetano said the Senate majority bloc sees no reason to amend the existing impeachment rules, warning that changes could delay proceedings because revised rules would still need publication.
“If everyone agrees on the rule, I do not see any reason why hindi kami makapag-convene sa Monday,” he said.
Under the process outlined by Cayetano, senators will first convene as an impeachment court, after which he will take his oath as presiding officer, followed by the oath-taking of the 23 senator-judges. The Senate will then issue summons to the Vice President.
He said the Senate leadership is already preparing a draft calendar based strictly on constitutional and procedural timelines, stressing that the schedule would not be “discretionary.”
“So walang delay ‘yun. Kung ano na sa rules, kung ano nasa Constitution ‘yun,” Cayetano said.
The Senate chief, however, said the duration of the actual trial proper would still depend on the number of witnesses and the presentation of evidence by both sides.
“You cannot stop both sides from presenting the number of witnesses na gusto nilang sabihin,” he said.
Cayetano also said the Senate would need to balance impeachment proceedings with legislative work amid ongoing national concerns and pending measures requiring congressional action.
He added that discussions within the majority bloc showed support for proceeding with the impeachment trial, saying none of the senators in the group had expressed opposition to holding the proceedings.
