Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Civil society groups gather at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City on May 17, 2026 to push the Senate to convene as an impeachment court. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1778998484341viber_image_2026-05-17_13-38-13-778.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Civil society groups gather at the EDSA Shrine in Quezon City on May 17, 2026 to push the Senate to convene as an impeachment court. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — A day before the Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court on Monday, civil society groups gathered at the EDSA Shrine to continue calling for peace and accountability following the unrest that erupted in the upper challenge last Wednesday.The gathering was led by Tindig Pilipinas and was followed by a Mass.According to Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino-Dee, the group will closely monitor developments in the Senate to ensure the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte push through.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/15/cayetano-says-cancelled-ledac-meeting-part-of-plot-to-unseat-him-2004">Cayetano says cancelled LEDAC meeting part of plot to unseat him </a></div>Duterte, who has been accused of mishandling confidential funds and of threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, has consistently denied the allegations against her.She has said the allegations are linked to her planned presidential run in 2028.Tindig Pilipinas and other groups expressed concern that the current Senate majority is largely composed of the same members who previously rejected Duterte’s impeachment last year.Dee said the Constitution does not give the majority bloc the prerogative to decide on whether the trial will push through.“Kaya mahalaga yung pag-gather ng taumbayan upang igiit na dapat matupad yung nasa Saligang Batas... upang igiit na dapat makamit natin yun pananagutan sa pamamagitan ng pagcontinue ng impeachment court,” he said.(That is why it is important that the people are gathered to assert that the Constitution should be followed... to assert that we must get accountability through the impeachment court)Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, foreign affairs secretary and later House speaker during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, has dismissed those concerns and propaganda. He said senators would decide the case based on evidence.Dee stressed that Sen. Francis Escudero, who was Senate president when Duterte was impeached last year, is in the same majority bloc as Cayetano.The Senate at the time received widespread criticism for seemingly delaying the process. The Supreme Court later ruled that the impeachment complaint against Duterte then was unconstitutional. “Dahil sa nangyari noong Miyerkoles, talagang starting from very, very low confidence yung bagong Senate majority natin,” Dee added, referring to a gunfire incident at the Senate.(Because of what happened last Wednesday, this new Senate majority is really starting with very, very low confidence)<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/16/wrap-a-coup-gunfire-and-a-week-worth-decades-at-the-senate-1644">WRAP: A coup, gunfire, and a week worth decades at the Senate </a></div>Meanwhile, youth group Youth Against Kurakot! (YAK!) called for Cayetano&#x27;s removal as Senate president after the shooting incident last Wednesday.The group said the shooting should not be viewed as an isolated incident but as a direct failure of Cayetano’s leadership, which they said has failed to preserve the dignity and integrity expected of a democratic institution.YAK! also called for full transparency regarding the incident and demanded accountability from the Senate leadership.

According to Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino-Dee, the group will closely monitor developments in the Senate to ensure the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte push through.

According to Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino-Dee, the group will closely monitor developments in the Senate to ensure the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte push through.

Groups gather at EDSA Shrine ahead of Senate impeachment court opening

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Groups gather at EDSA Shrine ahead of Senate impeachment court opening

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 17, 2026 02:45 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Impeachment

Senate

Kiko Aquino-Dee

Tindig Pilipinas

EDSA Shrine

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