Jamaine Punzalan

The Senate of the Philippines opens its first regular session of the 20th Congress on July 28, 2025. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit

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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES- 20th CONGRESS

Victoria Tulad

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/175368197905020250728-senate-20th-congress-VD1 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Senate of the Philippines opens its first regular session of the 20th Congress on July 28, 2025. Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate Social Media Unit </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Senate will hold a caucus on Tuesday to talk about the priority measures that the upper chamber will push for.</p><p>Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva said Monday they wanted to maximize the time they have.</p><p>“It’s more of the work, work, work. We were actually talking to a lot of members kanina about their priority measures and bills that we wanted to make sure na mabigyan ng prayoridad at yun ang gusto ni Senate President, maka-accomplish as much as possible dito sa maliit na time ng 20th Congress,” Villanueva said.</p><p>He added that they would probably touch on the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, but did not elaborate.</p><p>Villanueva said the Supreme Court (SC) decision declaring the articles of impeachment unconstitutional proved that the Senate was in the right path.</p><p>He also belied accusations that the Senate delayed the proceedings to wait for the SC ruling.</p><p>“Maraming kritiko na noon pa man mananatiling kiritiko anoman ang desisyon ng Senado. Ang importante at tingin kong klaro ay tama ang naging direksyon ng Senado, hindi inupuan, hindi minadali, bagkus binanggit natin ito nung mga nakaraang panahon na kung sakaling magkaroon man ng ganung desisyon, paano na ang impeachment proceedings? Having said that, naniniwala ako na naging tama yung aming naging desisyon as an impeachment court,” Villanueva said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Other senators said the SC decision should be followed.</p><p>“Wala tayong magagawa, it’s a Supreme Court decision. Whether we like the decision or not, the Supreme Court must be followed, the rule of law must be followed. And if we don’t do that, hindi po tayo mag-iiba sa mga unggoy na nasa loob ng mga forest, we are not different from the monkeys of the forest that do not adhere to the principles of law and order and the rule of law,” said Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri.</p><p> “Anoman ang emosyon o pananaw ng iba’t ibang sektor ay sa tingin ko ay kailangan umiral ang rule of law,”  Senator Loren Legarda added. </p><p> Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said they cannot hold an impeachment trial given the ruling.</p><p> &quot;We are flirting with a constitutional crisis if the Senate will pursue the impeachment trial,” he said.</p>

<p>The Senate will hold a caucus on Tuesday to talk about the priority measures that the upper chamber will push for.</p>

The Senate will hold a caucus on Tuesday to talk about the priority measures that the upper chamber will push for.

Senate to hold caucus on priority measures, members call for adherence to SC ruling

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Senate to hold caucus on priority measures, members call for adherence to SC ruling

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 28, 2025 01:53 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

20th Congress

Supreme Court

Sara Duterte

impeachment

politics

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