Senators sworn in as impeachment judges: VP Sara’s trial opens

CEBU, Philippines — Senators formally took their oaths as judges of the impeachment court on Tuesday evening, marking the official start of the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The session followed a tense plenary marked by procedural disputes and political maneuvering.

Senate President Francis Escudero, who was sworn in Monday night as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, oversaw the proceedings.

The session opened with a heated exchange as Minority Leader Koko Pimentel III pressed the chamber to proceed with the scheduled 4 p.m. oath-taking, as agreed upon in a motion approved the previous day. Pimentel, along with fellow minority senator Risa Hontiveros, also challenged Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa’s move to deliver a privilege speech prior to the oath-taking.

Dela Rosa used his time to formally move for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, citing “constitutional infirmities.”

Facing criticism and growing pressure over perceived delays in the impeachment process, Escudero ruled that such a motion could only be taken up after the Senate was formally constituted as an impeachment court — a process that required all senators to first take their oaths as judges.

Escudero then temporarily suspended the session to allow senators to don their impeachment robes.

The Senate reconvened at 6:15 p.m., at which point the senators took their oaths.

With the Senate officially constituted as an impeachment court, Escudero declared the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte open and called the court to order.

The oath-taking marked a historic moment in the country’s political history, as it advanced the impeachment process against a sitting vice president. Duterte has vowed to face the charges, promising a “bloodbath” at trial and to expose the “baselessness” of the accusations against her.

As of 8 p.m., senator-judges were still deliberating on Dela Rosa’s motion to dismiss the complaint on constitutional grounds. They were also considering a proposal by Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano to amend the motion—to instead remand the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives for certification that the complaints do not violate the one-year ban and to confirm the House’s continued intent to pursue the case.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. She faces charges of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.— (FREEMAN)