Camille Naredo

Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

CONGRESS-SONA

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174955032963620240715-congress-sona-preps-JC-7602.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Work is being done on the interiors of the Batasang Pambansa on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The House of Representatives welcomed on Tuesday the move of Senate President Francis Escudero to take his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>For House Spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante, this shows that the Senate listened to public clamor for the trial to begin “forthwith”.</p><p>“Ginalaw na po ang baso. Nakinig na po ang Senado sa mga pahayag, hindi lang ng Kamara, kundi ng iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan. Handa naman na po ang House of Representatives sa kanilang role sa impeachment trial,” she said.</p><p>Members of the House prosecution panel shared this sentiment.</p><p>“I&#x27;m very happy that the oath-taking has pushed through. We&#x27;ve been waiting for it for a long time… These are good first steps on their part,” San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Zamora said.</p><p>“Natutuwa kami dahil gumulong ang impeachment trial, it has been set into motion at naka-first base na tayo with the oath by the Presiding Officer of the Senate impeachment court. Kaya sigurado tayong uusad ito,“ Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor also said on DZMM Teleradyo.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/debate-over-dela-rosa-speech-delays-oath-taking-for-sara-duterte-trial-1656">READ: Debate over Dela Rosa speech delays oath-taking for Sara Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/bato-raises-alleged-legal-infirmities-in-sara-duterte-impeachment-1720">READ: Bato moves to dismiss Sara Duterte impeachment case</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATE RESOLUTIONS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MhBhkFjI8kU?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong>Two impeachment prosecutors expressed opposition to the Senate resolution filed by Duterte ally, Senator Robinhood Padilla, on Monday seeking to dismiss the impeachment complaint against the Vice President on the basis that it is supposedly among the “pending matters” that will “terminate upon the expiration of one Congress”.</div><p>Zamora advised Padilla to “review the Constitution”.</p><p>“Maybe some of his advisors should advise him on Constitutional law and that you cannot kill an impeachment by mere resolution,” she said.</p><p>“Laging may oras. Hindi importante kung ano ang nakalagay sa resolution na yun. Ang importante kung ano ba ang intensyon ng mga gumawa ng ating saligang batas pagdating sa impeachment. Priority ito laban sa anumang hakbang,“ Defensor added.</p><p>The House spokesperson said House Speaker Martin Romualdez is leaving the matter to the discretion of the Senate. But Abante hopes the upper chamber will be “faithful” to the Constitution.</p><p>“There are various experts, both from the academe and the legal sector that state na the Senator Judges cannot move to dismiss the trial on their own. So kung anuman ang magiging desisyon nila, ang hiling lang po natin ay maging faithful sila sa alituntunin ng Konstitusyon. Because in a society that follows the rule of law, the Constitution will always be supreme,” she said.</p><p>Some House impeachment prosecutors also consider “unacceptable” the resolution filed by Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino to end Duterte’s impeachment trial by June 30. Tolentino’s proposal gives the prosecution and the defense two days each to present their evidence.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/tolentino-files-resolution-seeking-to-end-sara-duterte-trial-by-june-30-1218">READ: Tolentino files resolution seeking to end Sara Duterte trial by June 30</a></div><p>“For the prosecution, we will be unable to present all of our evidence in just two days maybe. While for the defense, they would also not be able to defend themselves in such a short time. So this is both on a procedural side and on a substantive side of due process. Ang naisip ko nga po, ‘yung away ng magkapitbahay hindi ‘yan nare-resolve sa Katarungan Pambaranggay in one day. What more an impeachment case against the Vice President where we have numerous voluminous documents or evidence to present? So we have to give both parties their right to due process,” Zamora said.</p><p>She also expressed appreciation for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement that it is “very clear” the impeachment trial would cross over to the 20th Congress.</p><p>Zamora said the Constitution allows it, contrary to the position of some Senators.</p><p>“We appreciate the statement of the President. In fact, the other senator-judges should listen to that especially since our President has served as a senator-judge in the previous impeachment case. So the President knows that the impeachment process for the Vice President has to continue into the 20th Congress. And obviously, he knows that this cannot be done in such a short time,” she added.</p><p>Amid statements from Senate President Francis Escudero accusing the House of Representatives of failing to immediately act on the impeachment complaints filed before it, Abante asserted that the lower chamber did its job in a “timely and decisive” manner. She added that the House’s role in the impeachment proceedings is different from that of the Senate.</p><p>“I believe the House of Representatives did its job in a timely and decisive manner...Kung gaano katagal o kung gaano kabilis, hindi na ‘yan kasama sa kailangan alalahanin ng Senado. Ang kailangan alalahanin ng Senado ay ang kanilang tungkulin sa impeachment process ayon sa Konstitusyon, at ang sabi ng Konstitusyon, proceed “forthwith”,” Abante said.</p><p>“Ang House of Representatives ang pinagsisimulan ng impeachment process. Hindi naman pwede na magpasa ang House of Representatives ng isang impeachment complaint na hindi maayos, matibay at may tamang mga grounds para mag-impeach ng person being sought to be impeached. This is a constitutional process. Hindi ito isang maliit na bagay lang. Kailangan gampanan ng tama at maayos at sa paraan na nirerequire ng Constitution… The House of Representatives did its role and now the ball is in the senate to conduct the trial according to the Constitution,” she added.</p><p>On VP Duterte’s travel to Malaysia amid developments in her impeachment case, Abante said the impeachment court has its own rules on the matter.</p><p>“I believe the impeachment rules, mayroon naman siyang nakalagay kung paano ang pag-serve at notify sa accused. Ang requirement kasi diyan personal service. Pero mayroon din namang nakalagay sa rules on what to do if personal service cannot be made,” she told the media.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/escudero-clarifies-impeachment-court-constituted-but-not-yet-convened-1547">READ: Escudero clarifies impeachment court constituted, but not yet convened</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PREPARATIONS</strong></div><p>Members of the House prosecution panel have expressed readiness to perform their role in the impeachment trial.</p><p>Zamora said House prosecutors and private lawyers met yesterday and Rep. Gerville Luistro practiced the reading of the articles of impeachment, which she is tasked to do during the Senate session on Wednesday.</p><p>The House prosecution team is expected to attend a mass on Wednesday morning before heading to the Senate for the presentation of the articles of impeachment.</p>

<p>The House of Representatives welcomed on Tuesday the move of Senate President Francis Escudero to take his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

The House of Representatives welcomed on Tuesday the move of Senate President Francis Escudero to take his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

House welcomes Senate’s initial actions on VP impeachment complaint: 'Ginalaw na po ang baso'

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House welcomes Senate’s initial actions on VP impeachment complaint: 'Ginalaw na po ang baso'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 10, 2025 06:19 PM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

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Sara Duterte

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