Rowegie Abanto

Vice President Sara Duterte gestures during a press briefing in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Duterte

Allison Co

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177924475751020240925-sara-duterte-presscon-JC9533.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte gestures during a press briefing in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Wednesday confirmed it received the summons by the Senate impeachment court to Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>&quot;The Office of the Vice President confirms receipt of the Summons issued by the Impeachment Court at approximately 10:40 a.m. today, 20 May 2026,&quot; the OVP said in a statement.</p><p>The impeachment court, composed of 23 senator-judges, earlier said summons would be sent to the Vice President to compel her attendance to her impeachment trial at a date to be determined and for her camp to answer the articles of impeachment.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/senate-set-to-convene-as-impeachment-court-for-sara-duterte-trial-1211">Senate convenes as impeachment court for Sara Duterte trial</a></div><p>She and her lawyers are given a non-extendible period of 10 calendar days to reply to the articles of impeachment and that the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/house-prosecution-ready-for-impeachment-trial-regardless-of-who-sits-as-sp-1553">prosecution team</a> has 5 days to answer her filing.</p><p>Duterte faces accusations that she misused her office&#x27;s confidential funds, issued threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, and amassed questionable wealth, among other allegations.</p><p>Duterte has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/vp-duterte-s-absence-at-senate-won-t-delay-trial-prosecutor-1253">Sara Duterte&#x27;s possible absence at Senate impeachment trial won&#x27;t delay proceedings, House prosecutor says</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RESIGNATION</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, legal experts said the impeachment trial can proceed even if Duterte resigns, citing what they described as an emerging academic consensus on the matter.</p><p>UP College of Law Associate Dean Atty. Paolo Tamase said the trial cannot simply end once proceedings have already begun.</p><p>“I think emerging academic consensus na hindi po magtatapos yung trial pag nagsimula na,” he added.</p><p>Tamase explained that allowing impeachment proceedings to end upon resignation would effectively bypass the second consequence of impeachment which is disqualification from holding future public office.</p><p>“Hindi mo pwede iwasan yung consequence ng disqualification just by resigning. Otherwise, na-circumvent yung accountability,” he said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>DELAYS? </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>With the Senate of the Philippines convening as an impeachment court last Monday, May 18, Tamase said the trial could move more quickly than previous impeachment proceedings in the country and may even conclude in less than five months.</p><p>“Mas hopeful ako na faster siya than five months. Una, mas kaunti yung grounds (of impeachment). Pangalawa… Yung (House of Representatives) ay actually naghahanda na sila for the last few months noong maayos na presentation ng evidence,” he said.</p><p>However, Lyceum of the Philippines University College of Law Dean Atty. Ma. Soledad Deriquito-Mawis said delays could still happen if the Senate adopts an overly legalistic approach.</p><p>“Tatagal at tatagal yan sana hindi ganoon ka-legalistic ang approach because in the first place it’s sui generis (or of its own), itong tinatawag nilang impeachment kaya dapat hindi masyado legal na legal yung approach.”</p><p>Tamase underscored the importance of judicial prudence in the upcoming impeachment trial, saying the Senate should exercise its constitutional authority more assertively in deciding the case.</p><p>“Sa kasaysayan natin sa impeachment, iniiwasan natin ng korte yung panghihimasok dito sa proseso na ito kasi ang Korte Suprema natin mismo, subject siya to impeachment.”</p><p>Beyond the legal perspective, experts said senator-judges could decide based on personal convictions and political beliefs, which is why public engagement remained important.</p><p>“At the end of the day, let’s face it, it’s a number’s game, hindi po siya depende sa ano ho yung talagang nakalagay sa batas…kaya kailangan ang taumbayan na talagang mag-participate because yan ang gagamiting pamantayan ng mga senador,” Deriquito-Mawis added.</p><div><em></em><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</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/Pw2HGCrRKrM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/drIj5m5xxoc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><strong></strong><em><strong></strong></em><br/></div>

<p>The summons by the Senate impeachment court has been served to the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte, an official said Wednesday.</p>

The summons by the Senate impeachment court has been served to the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte, an official said Wednesday.

OVP confirms receipt of Senate impeachment court summons

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OVP confirms receipt of Senate impeachment court summons

Rowegie Abanto,

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 20, 2026 10:54 AM PHT

|

Updated May 20, 2026 01:23 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Sara Duterte Impeachment

Senate

Summons

Articles Of Impeachment

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