Pimentel moves for convening of Senate impeachment court
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III — File photo from Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III has formally asked the Senate to convene as an impeachment court to try the case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Taking the floor on Monday, Pimentel moved for the following:
- That the Senate’s legislative business be suspended;
- That the Senate already convene as the impeachment court at this very moment;
- That the Senate President immediately take his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court;
- That thereafter, the Senate President-presiding officer administer the oath or affirmation to all the members of the Senate now present;
- That the impeachment court then call the impeachment case against the Vice President and come up with a calendar for the trial thereof;
- That on June 10, 2025 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, the impeachment court call the impeachment case for the presentation and reading of the Articles of Impeachment by the panel of prosecutors of the House of Representatives; and
- That thereafter, the writ of summons be issued to the impeached officer.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the only member of the minority bloc, seconded Pimentel ’s motion.
“Let me be clear — what we’re discussing here is the constitutional duty of the Senate, not whether the impeached officer is guilty or not. The verdict comes later, after the trial,” Pimentel said in a question of privilege before making his motion.
“What’s important is that the trial proceedings begin, because that is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
The Minority Leader also warned that any further delay of the impeachment trial would not only undermine the Senate’s explicit mandate in the Constitution and own rules but the chamber also “risks eroding public trust” in its capacity and capability to uphold the accountability of public officers and the rule of law.
“Not only do many believe that the Senate is heading to a no-trial scenario, worse, many have opined that simply by inaction, by merely refusing to convene as the impeachment court, the Senate seems to believe that it can effectively dismiss or defeat an impeachment complaint filed and transmitted by the House of Representatives,” Pimentel said.
The senator likewise lamented that because of the impeachment case against the Vice President, the Senate itself is now “on trial.”
“The reputation and dignity of this institution we hold so dear, painstakingly built up by the many senators who have served before us, together with our own efforts, are now being attacked online and in the real world out there,” Pimentel said.
READ: Senate minority to initiate Sara Duterte impeachment trial this Monday
Duterte was impeached by the House last February 5 but the Senate, until now, has yet to convene as an impeachment court.
Senate President Francis Escudero has originally set the presentation of charges against Duterte by the House prosecutors on June 2 but later moved it to June 11, the last day of session before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 30.
The Senate has yet to decide on Pimentel’s motion as of posting. /das
