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Advocates Philippines
Chiz Escudero On VP Sara's Impeachment Trial: 'Plenary Will Call The Shots'
Photo credit: Senate PH
It’s official: the Senate is getting ready to receive the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte on June 11, but according to Senate President Chiz Escudero, there’s one thing to keep in mind—it’s the plenary that’ll steer the ship.
In a press conference this Monday (June 2), Escudero made it crystal clear that while he may have a say in the scheduling, the power lies in the hands of the plenary when it comes to all major decisions about the impeachment trial.
“The plenary is the supreme body of the Senate. It gets to decide anything and everything,” Chiz said. “Yes, the Senate President can initially set things in motion, but it’s the plenary that has the final word.”
So what’s the hold-up?
Escudero explained that the rescheduling of the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment isn’t meant to benefit or disadvantage anyone—not the prosecution, not the defense.
“Walang pinapaboran, walang nasasaktan,” he said. “What we gain is more time to do our actual job—pass meaningful laws.”
And timing really is everything here. Even if the impeachment documents were presented earlier, Senate rules say the VP has 10 days to respond, and the House prosecutors get five days to reply. Any motions or objections will still need to go through plenary deliberation. That means the calendar—not just political will—is driving the pace.
Escudero also addressed the point raised by Sen. Koko Pimentel, who questioned whether the trial could’ve started earlier had the original schedule been followed. Chiz gave a timeline breakdown and pointed out that either way, the Senate would already be in recess before deadlines kicked in.
So where does that leave us?
With only six session days left before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 14, the full-blown trial is expected to kick off under the 20th Congress starting July 29. That’s when the new senator-judges will take their oath at 9:00 AM, and the trial itself will start the next day, July 30.
This June 11 presentation gives senators time to wrap up some key legislative priorities, including 12 priority bills like the Anti-POGO Act and E-Governance Act—items that were agreed upon during the recent LEDAC meeting with Malacañang.
Still, the bottom line remains the same: nothing is set in stone until the plenary gives the green light.
“Plenaryo ang dapat magpasya n’yan,” Chiz reminded everyone. “We’ll discuss that more in the coming days, especially when the session resumes and we reach that June 11 schedule—unless, of course, the plenary changes it.”
So buckle up, because the Senate’s path to impeachment isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the process, and it’s the plenary that holds the map.
In a press conference this Monday (June 2), Escudero made it crystal clear that while he may have a say in the scheduling, the power lies in the hands of the plenary when it comes to all major decisions about the impeachment trial.
“The plenary is the supreme body of the Senate. It gets to decide anything and everything,” Chiz said. “Yes, the Senate President can initially set things in motion, but it’s the plenary that has the final word.”
So what’s the hold-up?
Escudero explained that the rescheduling of the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment isn’t meant to benefit or disadvantage anyone—not the prosecution, not the defense.
“Walang pinapaboran, walang nasasaktan,” he said. “What we gain is more time to do our actual job—pass meaningful laws.”
And timing really is everything here. Even if the impeachment documents were presented earlier, Senate rules say the VP has 10 days to respond, and the House prosecutors get five days to reply. Any motions or objections will still need to go through plenary deliberation. That means the calendar—not just political will—is driving the pace.
Escudero also addressed the point raised by Sen. Koko Pimentel, who questioned whether the trial could’ve started earlier had the original schedule been followed. Chiz gave a timeline breakdown and pointed out that either way, the Senate would already be in recess before deadlines kicked in.
So where does that leave us?
With only six session days left before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 14, the full-blown trial is expected to kick off under the 20th Congress starting July 29. That’s when the new senator-judges will take their oath at 9:00 AM, and the trial itself will start the next day, July 30.
This June 11 presentation gives senators time to wrap up some key legislative priorities, including 12 priority bills like the Anti-POGO Act and E-Governance Act—items that were agreed upon during the recent LEDAC meeting with Malacañang.
Still, the bottom line remains the same: nothing is set in stone until the plenary gives the green light.
“Plenaryo ang dapat magpasya n’yan,” Chiz reminded everyone. “We’ll discuss that more in the coming days, especially when the session resumes and we reach that June 11 schedule—unless, of course, the plenary changes it.”
So buckle up, because the Senate’s path to impeachment isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the process, and it’s the plenary that holds the map.
Jun 2, 2025
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