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House Prosecutors Set For Senate Trial Opening As Ridon Says 257-Vote Mandate Must Be Respected
Photo credit: PNA
The entire 11-member House prosecution panel will attend the opening of the Senate impeachment court on Monday, May 18, in what lawmakers described as a show of respect for the Constitution and the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Rep. Terry Ridon, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said the prosecutors are expected to arrive at the Senate by 3 p.m. to witness the formal opening of the impeachment court.
Speaking during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Ridon stressed that the panel’s attendance is not simply symbolic, but a recognition that the impeachment complaint has officially entered its next constitutional phase.
According to Ridon, the House prosecution panel wants to show respect not only to the Senate of the Philippines, but also to the constitutional process governing impeachment proceedings.
The lawmaker also underscored the significance of the House vote that led to Duterte’s impeachment, saying the 257 votes in favor sent a strong and undeniable message. The figure was far beyond the required 106 votes needed to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
Ridon noted that the vote margin even surpassed last year’s 215-vote impeachment push, showing what he described as overwhelming institutional support for moving the case forward.
He added that the results also reflected cracks in Duterte’s traditional political strongholds, pointing out that support for the impeachment came even from lawmakers in parts of Mindanao, Cebu City, and the Visayas, areas long considered favorable to the Duterte family.
For Ridon, Monday’s Senate proceedings are more than just ceremonial. He said the convening of the impeachment court represents the next constitutional step in reviewing the evidence that convinced a large majority of House lawmakers to support the complaint.
While he acknowledged that the House’s role remains limited at this stage, Ridon said it is still important for the prosecution panel to officially witness the opening of the impeachment court.
He also expressed hope that the Senate trial would finally move forward after months of political tension surrounding the impeachment case involving the Vice President.
Rep. Terry Ridon, chair of the House Committee on Public Accounts, said the prosecutors are expected to arrive at the Senate by 3 p.m. to witness the formal opening of the impeachment court.
Speaking during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Ridon stressed that the panel’s attendance is not simply symbolic, but a recognition that the impeachment complaint has officially entered its next constitutional phase.
According to Ridon, the House prosecution panel wants to show respect not only to the Senate of the Philippines, but also to the constitutional process governing impeachment proceedings.
The lawmaker also underscored the significance of the House vote that led to Duterte’s impeachment, saying the 257 votes in favor sent a strong and undeniable message. The figure was far beyond the required 106 votes needed to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
Ridon noted that the vote margin even surpassed last year’s 215-vote impeachment push, showing what he described as overwhelming institutional support for moving the case forward.
He added that the results also reflected cracks in Duterte’s traditional political strongholds, pointing out that support for the impeachment came even from lawmakers in parts of Mindanao, Cebu City, and the Visayas, areas long considered favorable to the Duterte family.
For Ridon, Monday’s Senate proceedings are more than just ceremonial. He said the convening of the impeachment court represents the next constitutional step in reviewing the evidence that convinced a large majority of House lawmakers to support the complaint.
While he acknowledged that the House’s role remains limited at this stage, Ridon said it is still important for the prosecution panel to officially witness the opening of the impeachment court.
He also expressed hope that the Senate trial would finally move forward after months of political tension surrounding the impeachment case involving the Vice President.
May 16, 2026
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