Camille Naredo

The House Committee on Justice formally adopt its report and the corresponding Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte during a committee hearing at the House of Representatives, Quezon City, on May 4, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

The House Committee on Justice formally adopt its report and the corresponding Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte during a committee hearing at the House of Representatives, Quezon City, on May 4, 2026. With a unanimous vote, the 55-member panel, chaired by Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro, approved the committee report finding probable cause to impeach the Vice President. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Duterte Impeachment

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178038741362620260504-vp-sara-duterte-impeachment-JC3232.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="The House Committee on Justice formally adopt its report and the corresponding Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte during a committee hearing at the House of Representatives, Quezon City, on May 4, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/>The House Committee on Justice formally adopt its report and the corresponding Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte during a committee hearing at the House of Representatives, Quezon City, on May 4, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- Lead House Impeachment Prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro hopes the political standoff at the Senate does not spillover to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.On Monday, members of the Senate majority skipped session following the arrest of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, resulting in a lack of quorum to hold a plenary session. Senate minority members, meanwhile, walked out of the session hall last week to prevent the alleged change of rules that would benefit absentee lawmakers.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/senate-majority-no-show-in-supposed-monday-session-2005">READ: Senate majority no show in supposed Monday session</a></div>Luistro issued a reminder that the Constitution mandates the Senate sitting as an impeachment court to hold the impeachment trial &quot;forthwith.&quot;&quot;Sana walang spillover dito sa impeachment trial… Regardless of the situations happening in the Senate, I hope they will be reminded that this is one of our constitutional duties to the sovereign Filipino people. There is no option to stop. There is no option to delay. The only option is trial forthwith,&quot; she said.Sen. Erwin Tulfo previously said that Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-may-start-july-6-1040">may start on July 6</a>. On Monday, Duterte filed her Answer to the Articles of Impeachment against her, calling them &quot;constitutionally infirm, procedurally defective, and substantively deficient.&quot;<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/1/sara-duterte-files-impeachment-reply-1646">READ: Sara Duterte responds to impeachment raps</a></div>Luistro sees a &quot;constitutional crisis&quot; amid the Senate standoff. She hopes Senators will be able to come up with a reasonable action to move forward with their functions.&quot;I believe there is. Kasi napakahalaga ng tungkulin ng Senado… Hindi kami makakagalaw until the conclusion of the legislative function without the participation of the Senate... Sana makabalik na sila in their regular course of business,&quot; she said.&quot;Co-equal kasi kami eh, House of Representatives and the Senate, so I don&#x27;t think that we are in a position to really tell the Senate what to do. The least siguro that we can do is solicit their support so we can move on with our legislative function,&quot; Luistro added.House Impeachment Prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party List Representative Terry Ridon, meanwhile, issued this appeal to the Senate.&quot;Nagsusumamo rin po kami sa Senado that the matter on quorum be resolved in the soonest time. It is for them to resolve as an independent institution. Pero mayroon din po kasing real impact po ito pong absence of quorum to conduct business doon po sa Senate Impeachment Court. Kasi for the Senate Impeachment Court to convene, a quorum is required. So hopefully, when we get to the trial proper itself, the question on quorum will be resolved by the Senate as a body, both by the majority and the minority,&quot; he said.House Deputy Speaker and La Union 1st District Representative Paolo Ortega is &quot;saddened&quot; by the developments in the Senate.&quot;Sad... Sana magkausap-usap sila kasi we only have two days bago po mag-sine die para marami na pong mas matapos na local and national bills, &#x27;yung mga LEDAC priority bills natin. Tapos syempre po &#x27;yung calendar po ng impeachment, inaantay po ng taumbayan, para maksyunan na rin po,&quot; he said.&quot;Hindi po yata maganda na wala pong mangyaring session, kasi &#x27;yun po &#x27;yung number one na trabaho po natin eh,&quot; Ortega added.The Senate Majority Bloc <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/2/waiting-game-at-senate-a-day-after-majority-no-show-1526">skipped Tuesday&#x27;s plenary session</a> as well.Only eleven minority senators were at the Senate session at the expected start of a plenary session at 3 p.m. Tuesday. At around 3:20 p.m., the minority said Senate Secretary Jose Luis Montales was advised by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano that the majority bloc would not attend the session.

Lead House Impeachment Prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro hopes the political standoff at the Senate does not spillover to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lead House Impeachment Prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro hopes the political standoff at the Senate does not spillover to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

House lead prosecutor hopes Senate standoff won’t spill over to VP Duterte’s impeachment trial

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House lead prosecutor hopes Senate standoff won’t spill over to VP Duterte’s impeachment trial

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 02, 2026 04:03 PM PHT

Read More:

Philippine Senate

House of Representatives

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

Gerville Luistro

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