Senate President Francis” Chiz” Escudero opens Session No. 51 on Monday, June 2, 2025, after the campaign break for the midterm election. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA (UPDATED) — Professors of law and of political science across the Philippines broke their silence this week to express concern over the potential dismissal of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the Senate has to act on its constitutional duty to "forthwith proceed" with trial.

The statements came out after draft resolutions to dismiss the articles of impeachment were floated among some senators and after Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero's statement that the delayed start "neither favors nor prejudices either side."

In an open letter, some 97 members of the University of the Philippines College of Law Faculty on Thursday, June 5, urged the Senate to "forthwith proceed" with the impeachment trial as they seek to hear the evidences supporting the high crimes Duterte supposedly committed.

"As teachers and scholars of the law, we believe that the Senate’s dismissal without hearing even a single witness will mean its abandonment of its proud tradition as an august chamber and permanently alter our system of checks and balances," they said.

The UP Law professors, expressing grave concern on the proposals to declare the impeachment case as "de facto dismissed", challenged the Senate to "let the truth unfold". 

They also said the four-month delay on the trial had supposedly violated Duterte's right to a speedy disposition of the case.

'ACTIVE POLITICAL MANEUVERING'

De La Salle University's faculty members of Department of Political Science and Development Studies also expressed dismay on what they called "deliberate foot-dragging" in convening of the Senate as an impeachment court.

They emphasized that the prolonged inaction "reflects an active political maneuvering" and diminishes the mechanisms of accountability enshrined in the Constitution which seek to hold top officials responsible under the law.

They warned failure to immediately act on the impeachment case would go down in history as "a conscious betrayal of constitutional order."

'A MATTER OF ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT SCHEDULING'

Lawyers with the Ateneo de Manila University meanwhile stressed their concerns on the trial are not only due to "a matter of scheduling", but "a matter of accountability, of constitutional integrity, and of the Senate’s credibility as an institution."

The Ateneo Human Rights Center urged the Senate " to adhere to its constitutional duty and begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte AS SOON AS POSSIBLE." 

They said the deliberate delay in proceedings means the Senate is failing its constitutional duty.

In separate statement, the Ateneo School of Governance warned dropping the case without trial would be "a dereliction of duty and a clear attempt to whitewash the accusation raised against a public official."

Professors of the Graduate School of Law of San Beda University echoed similar sentiments, saying the Senate must hold a trial once a third of the members of the House endorse a verified complaint.

"The required number has been realized. Senate must proceed with the trial!" they said.

The professors said there is "no sound constitutional and legal basis for any delay in the trial", claiming an undue delay can mean the process is intentionally being opposed.

"The trial is a measure of accountability.  The problem with government, and the resulting lack of public trust in it, has to do with deficits in measures of accountability," they said.

'CONTINUITY OF OBLIGATION REGARDLESS OF NUMERICAL DESIGNATION'

The Philippine Law School Faculty Club meanwhile said the claims that the trial cannot be continued in 20th Congress are "incorrect", stressing impeachment is not a "legislative function" and the use of the term "Senate" in the Article XI of the Constitution is "institutional."

"The term 'Senate' is used institutionally and is not qualified by congressional term, implying continuity of its consitutional obligation regardless of Congress' numerical designation," they said.

They asked Senate "to act not because the outcome is certain — but because the process is owed to the people."

Imee confirms resolution drafts seeking to dismiss Sara Duterte impeachment; Chiz says no reso filed yet

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