THE OFFICE of the Vice President confirmed receipt of the summons issued by the Senate Impeachment Court at around 11:05 a.m. on June 11, 2025.
The Senate officially convened as an impeachment court on Tuesday, with all members taking their oath as senator-judges for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
However, after hours of deliberation, the court voted 18-5, with no abstentions, to return the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives, a decision that has sparked debate among senators regarding its implications for the proceedings.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who took his oath as the presiding officer yesterday, declared the impeachment trial officially open and called the court to order. Senators wore their Oxford crimson robes and swore to be impartial in their judgment.
Notably, senators Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla also took their oath despite manifesting reservations about the trial.
The motion to remand was introduced by Senator Alan Cayetano, who explicitly clarified that this action does not dismiss or terminate the case. His motion served as an amendment to an earlier proposal by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa to dismiss the impeachment case entirely.
Dela Rosa ultimately accepted Cayetano’s suggestion to amend his initial motion.
Cayetano said the case can be returned to the House of Representatives, and they must certify that they followed due process based on the 1987 Constitution upon filing the impeachment case.
The five senator-judges who voted against remanding the articles were Senators Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Grace Poe, Risa Hontiveros, Raffy Tulfo, and Nancy Binay.
The following senators voted in favor of returning the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte to the House of Representatives:
- Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
- Senator Francis Tolentino
- Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
- Senator Joel Villanueva
- Senator Pia Cayetano
- Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa
- Senator JV Ejercito
- Senator Lito Lapid
- Senator Bong Go
- Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.
- Senator Loren Legarda
- Senator Imee R. Marcos
- Senator Robinhood Padilla
- Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri
- Senator Raffy Tulfo
- Senator Mark Villar
- Senator Cynthia Villar
The debate surrounding the motion highlighted differing views on the Senate’s role and the impeachment’s constitutional validity:
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asserted that the Senate, as an impeachment court, must proceed with the trial, arguing that any move to prematurely end proceedings would be unconstitutional.
He likened justice to intangible but crucial elements of life, stating, “Justice cannot be seen, cannot be touched, but it is a very important thing in human life.”
Hontiveros opposed the immediate dismissal, emphasizing that due process requires hearing both sides.
“I believe that we cannot unilaterally act on the dismissal of the impeachment complaint without first hearing a single word from the prosecution and a single word from the defense regarding the ‘constitutional infirmity,” she stated.
Senator Joel Villanueva likewise objected to dismissal, asserting that the Senate has no constitutional authority to summarily dismiss an impeachment complaint.
He emphasized that the Senate’s role is strictly to try and decide impeachment cases, as mandated by the Constitution, warning that dismissing a case without trial undermines the House’s mandate.
Conversely, Senator Robinhood Padilla appealed to his colleagues to prioritize key legislation over political crises, warning that pursuing impeachment could lead to division and distract the institution from its responsibilities.
“I know we are facing a serious political crisis. But that is not a reason to forget our true job, which is to serve the nation,” Padilla noted.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go expressed support for Senator Dela Rosa’s initial motion to dismiss due to constitutional infirmities. He urged careful study, stating, “Let us focus on what is important for our people that we serve.”
Despite Senator Cayetano’s clarification, Senator Hontiveros maintained that both the original dismissal motion and the amended remand motion effectively terminate the impeachment proceedings.
Senate President Escudero, however, objects to this interpretation, arguing that a summons may still be issued if the case is simply remanded.
The commencement of the impeachment trial came a day after Escudero took his oath as the presiding officer.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Senate holds the sole power to try and decide on all cases of impeachment.
