Marilyn Cahatol

Members of the Senate of the Philippines, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 convene as an impeachment court to try the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

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/17498820839741749882081333.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of the Senate of the Philippines, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 convene as an impeachment court to try the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. <em>Joseph B. Vidal, OSP/Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senator-judges in the scheduled impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should act with conviction and conscience in assessing evidence once trial begins, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.</p><p>This as the lawmaker admitted that political alliances can influence senator-judges during the impeachment trial.</p><p>“At kahit nakasulat sa rules na impartial, fair, ang aking pag-aanalisa madadala at madadala mo rin ‘yung political leanings at political loyalty mo sa loob ng impeachment. Mahirap alisin ‘yan eh,” Gatchalian said in an interview with DZMM Saturday, June 14.</p><p>(Even if the rules say we should be impartial and fair, in my analysis, political leanings and loyalty will figure in the trial. It&#x27;s difficult to let that go)</p><p>Gatchalian pointed out that senators are not court judges and not all of them are lawyers.</p><p>“Mga politicians ‘to na mayroong political alliances, may mga sinusundang politiko,” he said.</p><p>(These are politicians with political alliances. They follow certain politicians)</p><p>Duterte-allied senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Robin Padilla have been criticized for “lawyering” for the vice president for drafting resolutions seeking to dismiss the trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/11/bato-defends-attempt-to-dismiss-impeachment-case-there-is-no-prohibition-1609">Bato defends attempt to dismiss impeachment case: &#x27;There is no prohibition</a></div><div><strong>INHIBITION IS A PERSONAL DECISION</strong></div><p>Amid calls for the two senator-judges to inhibit, Gatchalian said that would be a personal decision.</p><p>“At ‘yun ang aking hino-hope, ‘yun ang aking ninanais na pumasok na dito ‘yung conviction at konsensya ng bawat isa kung nag umpisa na yung trial proper pumasok na ‘yung conviction at konsensya ng bawat isa para talagang tingnan nang mabuti at tingnan nang patas yung ebidensya para malaman natin kung may talagang may sala o wala,” the lawmaker added.</p><p>(And so I am hoping that their conviction and conscience will kick in and each senator-judge will look at the evidence fairly so we will know if there were liabilities or not)</p><p>For his part, Gatchalian vowed his impartiality on the matter.</p><p>Gatchalian was one of the five senator-judges who voted against the motion remanding the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/what-senator-judges-said-on-return-of-sara-impeachment-complaint-to-house-0035">What senator-judges said on return of Sara impeachment complaint to House</a></div><div><strong>TOLENTINO: INHIBITION CANNOT BE IMPOSED</strong></div><p>Senate Majority Leader Senator Francis Tolentino also said that inhibition cannot be imposed on senator-judges.</p><p>He also stood firm on his theory that the impeachment case cannot be taken up by the 20th Congress.</p><p>“Hindi ka makaka-inhibit sa 19th Congress, hindi ka rin dapat mag-inhibit sa 20th Congress kasi wala ngang jurisdiction ‘yun,” Tolentino added.</p><p>(You cannot inhibit yourself during the 19th Congress and you should not inhibit yourself in the 20th Congress because it has no jurisdiction)</p><p>In its remand of the articles of impeachment, the Senate also ordered the House to certify that the proceedings followed the Constitution and that the 20th Congress is willing to prosecute the case. </p><p>“From July 1-28 walang mangyayari dahil walang bagong prosecutors (nothing will happen because there are no new prosecutors),” Gatchalian said.</p><p>He said the House cannot possibly commit to pursuing the impeachment case until the 20th Congress convenes in July.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/12/house-certifies-sara-impeachment-didn-t-violate-constitution-what-happens-next-0930">House certifies Sara impeachment didn’t violate Constitution: What happens next?</a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l9Skya3LlMI?si=5WA1ilSMNKuy9O2v" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Senator-judges for the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should act with conviction and conscience in assessing evidence once the trial begins, according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.</p>

Senator-judges for the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should act with conviction and conscience in assessing evidence once the trial begins, according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

Senator-judges must act with 'conviction, conscience' in Duterte impeach trial: Gatchalian

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Senator-judges must act with 'conviction, conscience' in Duterte impeach trial: Gatchalian

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 14, 2025 02:42 PM PHT

Read More:

Sherwin Gatchalian

senator-judges

impeachment trial

inhibition

Sara Duterte

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