Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero shared on Sunday that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has not made any plans to call a special meeting for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Escudero explained that he has not received any requests from lawmakers, whether they support or oppose Duterte’s impeachment. Since Congress is currently on break, he said he is not worried about the matter for now.
“No sign from the President. But of course, if he calls for a meeting, we will attend,” Escudero said during an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.
Marcos had previously mentioned that he would consider calling a special session if the Senate formally requested it. However, Escudero believes there is no need to rush the process. He pointed out that in past impeachment cases, such as those involving a Chief Justice or an Ombudsman, there was no special treatment or urgency.
“Vice President Sara Duterte is not special. Her position does not require a fast-tracked impeachment. All officials who can be impeached should be treated equally,” Escudero added.
House of Representatives Impeaches VP Duterte
Last Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Duterte. A total of 215 lawmakers supported the decision, and another 25 signed the complaint.
After the complaint was sent to the Senate, the session ended before it could be discussed. This means the impeachment trial will not start until June, after the May 12 elections.
House Lawmakers Say They Are Not Pressuring the Senate
Representative Lorenz Defensor, one of the 11 House prosecutors for the impeachment trial, said they are not rushing the Senate. However, he reminded everyone that the Constitution says an impeachment trial should begin immediately.
“An impeachment case is important because it involves a high-ranking official like the Vice President,” Defensor said.
He also assured that the House respects the Senate’s role in the process and does not expect President Marcos to call a special session.
“I am sure the President will not interfere. Impeachment is a process that should remain independent from the Executive Department,” Defensor added.
Will There Be Enough Time for the Trial?
Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio warned that if a special session is not called, the Senate might not have enough time to finish the trial when Congress resumes on June 2. Congress will only have until June 30 before it adjourns, giving them less than a month to hold hearings.
Carpio pointed out that the Vice President has ten days to respond to the impeachment charges. Even if the trial begins, there is a chance it may not be completed before Congress ends its session. If that happens, the case could be delayed until the next Congress takes over.
Only the President has the power to call a special session, but Carpio noted that it is rare for Congress to request one. He explained that if the trial is not finished in time, Vice President Duterte could avoid another impeachment attempt for one year, as officials cannot face impeachment twice in the same year.
Why Was VP Sara Duterte Impeached?
The House of Representatives filed seven main reasons for impeaching Vice President Duterte:
- Alleged involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.
- Misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, with questionable financial reports.
- Bribery and corruption in the Department of Education (DepEd) when she was the Secretary.
- Unexplained wealth, with her reported assets growing four times from 2007 to 2017.
- Alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City.
- Organizing public protests and destabilization efforts against President Marcos.
- A pattern of behavior that violates the responsibilities of a Vice President.
VP Sara Duterte Responds
Despite the impeachment vote, Vice President Duterte said she has no plans to resign. She also stated that she might not attend the trial since it is allowed under the rules.
“If I don’t have to attend, I won’t. My presence might intimidate everyone,” she joked.
She also gave a brief statement, saying, “God save the Philippines.”
Duterte’s team has been preparing for the impeachment since November 2023. She has denied all accusations, including the claim that she made assassination threats against the President.
Before ending a press conference, Duterte made a Valentine’s Day joke about her impeachment.
“Being left by a boyfriend or girlfriend is more painful than being impeached by the House of Representatives,” she said.
The Senate impeachment trial is set to begin in June unless President Marcos calls a special session before then.
