Robes on: Senate convenes as impeach court on Monday

MANILA, Philippines — Be present, and wear your robes.

The Senate will officially convene as an impeachment court to try Vice President Sara Duterte tomorrow afternoon, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano told his colleagues.

In a letter to senators dated May 15, Cayetano directed his colleagues to be present at the Session Hall on Monday at 3 p.m. and to wear their robes.

“In view of the foregoing, the Senate shall convene as an Impeachment Court on Monday, 18 May 2026, at 3 p.m., in accordance with the applicable rules and procedure,” the letter addressed to the chamber read.

To underscore the gravity of the trial, Cayetano strictly reminded his colleagues of the chamber’s required decorum.

“In observance of the solemnity of the proceedings and pursuant to the Senate’s Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, all Senators-Judges are enjoined to wear their robes upon the convening of the Impeachment Court,” the letter read, adding that their “presence and cooperation are essential to the proper and orderly conduct of these proceedings.”

The Senate officially received the resolution and the Articles of Impeachment from the House of Representatives on May 13, while the lower chamber’s Secretary General Cheloy Garafil was trapped in the lockdown and the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms opened fire inside the building.

Cayetano said the Senate formally communicated its receipt to the office of the House Speaker the following day.

“Pursuant to Rule I of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials and consistent with its mandate under Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution, the Senate has taken proper order of the impeachment and shall immediately proceed to its consideration,” the Senate chief said.

Roles assigned

Meanwhile, members of the 11-man prosecution panel from the House of Representatives have already been assigned specific impeachment grounds to tackle during the trial, according to Bicol-Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.

“Some of the grounds involving threats, unexplained wealth, bribery and confidential funds misuse have already been divided among the prosecutors,” Ridon said during the Saturday News Forum, adding that the assignments will be revealed next week.

Ridon said he was assigned to handle the allegations involving unexplained wealth and the misuse of confidential funds.

“The expectation from the House prosecution panel is that even if they are not assigned to specific grounds, they will still be able to prosecute and present evidence on other grounds that are not assigned to them. Most members of the House prosecution panel are also part of the House justice committee,” Ridon said.

“Our expectation is that they will be able to present whichever ground will be asked of them before the Senate,” he added.

The Articles of Impeachment accused Duterte of alleged culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery and other high crimes.

Aside from Ridon, the House prosecution panel is composed of Reps. Gerville Luistro, Ramon Rodriguez, Ysabel Zamora, Lorenz Defensor, Chel Diokno, Leila de Lima, Arlene Bag-ao, Jonathan Keith Flores, Lordan Suan and Joel Chua. — Daphne Galvez