Solons ask Senate to order VP Duterte to answer the impeachment raps
Vice President Sara Duterte gestures as she delivers a statement following her impeachment by the House of Representatives. The picture was taken in her office in Mandaluyong City on February 7, 2025. (File photo from REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)
MANILA, Philippines — Prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte have asked the Senate to require her to submit an official answer to the Articles of Impeachment.
These documents were sent by the House of Representatives to the Senate in February.
House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez went to the Senate on Monday to file a motion seeking to have the vice president respond to the impeachment charges.
The two lawmakers are members of the House prosecution panel.
In the motion, the panel cited Rule VII of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials dated March 23, 2011.
This rule states that a writ of summons should be issued against the official impeached by the House.
“The Prosecution, represented by the members duly appointed by the House of Representatives, respectfully presents itself, and most respectfully moves that the Honorable Presiding Officer, Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero, issue Summons to respondent Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte (“Duterte”) directing her to file her Answer to the Verified Complaint for Impeachment dated 5 February 2025,” the prosecution panel said in the motion signed by Libanan.
“In accordance with Rule VII of Resolution No. 39 dated 23 March 2011 or the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, published last 26 March 2011 (Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials), a writ of summons shall be issued to the person impeached which will notify him/her to appear before the Honorable Impeachment Court and file his/her Answer to the Articles of Impeachment within a non extendible period of ten (10) days from receipt thereof,” they added.
The prosecution team said the impeachment rules are still applicable since there was a provision stating that it will be in force until it is amended or repealed.
“The Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, which were promulgated pursuant to Section 3(8), Article XI of the Constitution on Accountability of Public Officers, expressly provides that it ‘shall remain in force until amended or repealed,;” the prosecution said.
Aside from Libanan and Gutierrez, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega V were also present when the motion was filed before the Senate.
Duterte was impeached by the House last February 5 after 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint.
The complaint hinged on several issues like the confidential funds, threats to ranking officials including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and conduct unbecoming of a vice president.
The Articles of Impeachment were immediately transmitted to the Senate.
The 1987 Constitution requires a trial to start forthwith if at least one-thirds of all House members — in this case, 102 out of 306 — have signed and endorsed the petition.
READ: House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate
However, trial has yet to start as the Articles of Impeachment were not forwarded to the Senate plenary before session ended on February 5.
This means that Congress will have to reconvene first after the election season, or through a special session, to discuss the matter.
Previously, Escudero said that trial will start by July 30 — with the new set of lawmakers after the 2025 midterm elections sitting as senator-judges.
Several House lawmakers — including members of the prosecution team — previously said while they respect the Senate stand, they believe that the impeachment trial should start at the soonest possible time.
