Alan: Impeach court formed May 18
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday vowed to convene the body as an impeachment court on Monday to start deliberations on the articles impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Cayetano set the date a day after the articles were formally transmitted from the House of Representatives, and as the Senate emerged from four highly charged episodes this week.
These are the leadership coup that installed him at the Senate helm and the sudden reappearance of Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Monday, the shooting incident on Wednesday night, and Dela Rosa’s second disappearing act a few hours later.
The shooting particularly overshadowed the House transmittal of the articles of impeachment to the Senate. (See related stories on Pages A2 and A4.)
“There’s no reason not to convene and take our oaths on Monday. From the majority side, we had a caucus… I don’t see any amendments to the rules [to happen],” said a calmer Cayetano, who faced the media several hours after the shooting that sent senators, hundreds of Senate staff and journalists into panic.
“Whatever rules were good for those who were impeached in the past, are also good for us now,” he added, allaying fears that the new majority bloc would delay the impeachment proceedings against their political ally, Sara Duterte.
Cayetano has informed Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III that the upper chamber had received the articles.
Monday at 3 p.m.
He also ordered the Senate secretariat to calendar the articles’ referral to the impeachment court, “which shall be convened on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 3 p.m., or at the soonest possible time thereafter, absent any question on the rules and procedures related to the transmitted articles.”
In a statement, House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil said they delivered the articles to the Senate “in an orderly manner’’ despite “developments unfolding simultaneously.”
“Throughout the process, the House of Representatives remained focused on fulfilling its constitutional duty faithfully, professionally, and without disruption,” Garafil said.
Last Monday, 257 House lawmakers voted to impeach Duterte for the second consecutive year on allegations she misused secret funds allotted to her office, bribed officials to circumvent procurement guidelines, amassed unexplained wealth and plotted to have President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez assassinated if she, too, was killed.
Duterte, 47, was impeached on similar charges last year. The Senate, led by Francis “Chiz” Escudero, convened as an impeachment court, but voted to toss back the articles to the House to certify it’s not constitutionally infirm. The Supreme Court later dismissed the complaint for violating the one-year ban on the filing of multiple complaints.
Groups: Try case ‘without delay’
Meanwhile, some of the country’s most influential business and civil society groups urged the Senate to proceed with Duterte’s impeachment trial “without delay” and decide the case based on “the Constitution, the law, and the evidence.”
“This is not a discretionary political choice, but a constitutional obligation,” they said in a statement. “The legitimacy of democratic institutions rests on their consistent fidelity to constitutional mandates, especially under conditions of political pressure.”
“We call on our senators to exercise their mandate with honor, integrity, and unwavering regard for their oath of office,” they added.
The statement was signed by the Federation of Philippine Industries, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines, Shareholders’ Association of the Philippines and Makati Business Club.
Other signatories were the Justice Reform Initiative, Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform, AYC Consultants, Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and Sy & Partners.
Once the Senate is convened as an impeachment court, Cayetano said he would take his oath as presiding officer before the 23 senators, who in turn would also take their oath as senator-judges. The body would then issue summons to the parties involved.
Cayetano stressed that the impeachment proceedings would strictly follow the Constitution and the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, particularly on the required timelines for submissions and responses before the start of the trial proper.
“I will act in accordance with the rules. There always has to be legal grounds, and I will decide based on truth and evidence,” he said.
Investors watching
Cayetano added that while the Senate is already preparing a draft calendar for the impeachment proceedings, the duration of the trial will still depend on procedural requirements, the number of witnesses, and the articles involved.
In their statement, the business and civil society groups warned against any move to dismiss the impeachment complaint outright, saying this would further chip away at the public’s trust in the Senate as a democratic institution. —WITH A REPORT FROM KENNETH CHRITIANE BASILIO
