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Senate Sets July 6 Start For Impeachment Trial; Lawmakers Clash Over Rules On Presence
Photo credit: Senate PH
Senator Erwin Tulfo has confirmed that the Senate is gearing up for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with proceedings scheduled to formally begin on July 6.
In an interview, Tulfo said Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano convened a caucus of all members where the trial schedule and hearing flow were finalized.
He said the impeachment court will follow a tight schedule once sessions begin, with hearings set to run multiple days a week—starting Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., then resuming in the afternoon and extending into longer sessions, with similar schedules expected on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Thursdays will be reserved for Senate session work.
Tulfo said the impeachment trial will move forward with senators sitting as judges, marking one of the most high-profile proceedings in the chamber in recent years.
The senator also weighed in on proposals regarding trial participation, particularly the suggestion raised by Senator Rodante Marcoleta allowing a senator to participate and vote even without physical presence in the impeachment court.
Tulfo rejected the idea, saying he and several lawmakers would not support remote participation in such a critical proceeding.
“Dapat physically present,” he said, stressing that in-person attendance is necessary given the gravity of impeachment proceedings.
He added that remote participation was only applicable during the pandemic period, when lockdown restrictions prevented physical attendance in government sessions.
With the schedule now set, the Senate is expected to transition into full impeachment court mode as preparations continue ahead of the July 6 opening of the trial.
In an interview, Tulfo said Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano convened a caucus of all members where the trial schedule and hearing flow were finalized.
He said the impeachment court will follow a tight schedule once sessions begin, with hearings set to run multiple days a week—starting Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., then resuming in the afternoon and extending into longer sessions, with similar schedules expected on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Thursdays will be reserved for Senate session work.
Tulfo said the impeachment trial will move forward with senators sitting as judges, marking one of the most high-profile proceedings in the chamber in recent years.
The senator also weighed in on proposals regarding trial participation, particularly the suggestion raised by Senator Rodante Marcoleta allowing a senator to participate and vote even without physical presence in the impeachment court.
Tulfo rejected the idea, saying he and several lawmakers would not support remote participation in such a critical proceeding.
“Dapat physically present,” he said, stressing that in-person attendance is necessary given the gravity of impeachment proceedings.
He added that remote participation was only applicable during the pandemic period, when lockdown restrictions prevented physical attendance in government sessions.
With the schedule now set, the Senate is expected to transition into full impeachment court mode as preparations continue ahead of the July 6 opening of the trial.
May 21, 2026
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