Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Senators formally convene as an impeachment court to try the complaints filed against Vice President Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on May 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP SARA IMPEACHMENT

Rowegie Abanto

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/178063577497520260518-senate-impeachment-court-minority-MT15.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators formally convene as an impeachment court to try the complaints filed against Vice President Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on May 18, 2026<em>. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — House prosecutors will recognize the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian as the presiding officer of the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas 2nd District said Friday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/gatchalian-says-to-preside-over-sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-1020">Gatchalian says to preside over Sara Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><p>Luistro, who is lead prosecutor in the upcoming trial, issued the statement amid the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/battle-of-blue-ribbons-shows-an-upper-house-still-divided-2148">continuing power struggle</a> in which Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano asserted he still holds the chamber&#x27;s top post despite the Gatchalian bloc&#x27;s insistence they had captured control of the Senate <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/ibp-12-person-senate-session-was-lawful-and-valid-1850">after gaining a quorum of 12</a>.</p><p>In a statement, Luistro said the House prosecution panel will appear before Gatchalian, deemed as acting Senate President, in case Cayetano&#x27;s camp will issue a separate notice for the trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/5/teacher-asks-supreme-court-to-affirm-gatchalian-s-senate-leadership-1241">Teacher asks Supreme Court to affirm Gatchalian’s Senate leadership</a></div><p>She said House prosecution team cannot take a position separate from the House of Representatives, which had already recognized the leadership of Gatchalian following a reorganization.</p><p>&quot;In case dalawa ang notices for trial, we will be appearing before the leadership of acting SP Win Gatchalian,&quot; Luistro told DZMM.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/marcos-inclined-to-call-for-special-session-if-gatchalian-bloc-sends-request-palace-1504">Marcos ‘inclined’ to call for special session if Gatchalian bloc sends request — Palace</a></div><p>&quot;With all due respect to the former leadership, but the House of Representatives already recognized the new leadership,&quot; she said, noting that the 11 prosecutors are not acting in their personal capacities but as representatives of the lower chamber.</p><p>She also said it would be improper for the prosecutors to adopt a stance contrary to the House&#x27;s position.</p><p>On Thursday, Gatchalian said he would preside over the upcoming impeachment trial of Duterte.</p><p>Citing Senate Rules, he said the Senate president pro tempore assumes as acting president and can lead the trial, which <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-may-start-july-6-1040">may begin next month</a>.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/4/palace-cayetanos-can-argue-avelino-vs-cuenco-decision-on-quorum-in-court-1710">Palace: Cayetanos can argue Avelino vs. Cuenco decision on quorum in court</a></div><div><br/></div><p>NO DELAYS?</p><div> </div><p>The House prosecution is optimistic that the previously announced schedule for Duterte’s impeachment trial, which is expected to start on July 6th, would remain unchanged under Gatchalian’s leadership.</p><p>That’s as Malacanang said the President is inclined to give in to the official request by the new Senate leadership for a special session of Congress in order to pass priority measures, which were derailed by the leadership row at the Senate.</p><p>Luistro said the Senate may also need the special session to address matters that need to be prepared ahead of the impeachment trial.</p><p>“I think kakailanganin din ng impeachment trial itong special session na ito, only if they will decide to designate a presiding officer other than our acting SP. So bukod doon sa mga unfinished bills ng Senate, I think they need to consider also addressing kung ano’ng dapat ma-address ng body ng Senado, anong matters ang kakailanganin pa in preparation for the impeachment trial,” she said.</p><p>“We look forward na matuloy yung pre-trial conference on June 18 at yung first trial date ng July 6 ay sana matuloy din. After all, that was the pronouncement of the acting SP. And if you will remember, that timeline was released during the time of the former SP,” Luistro added.</p><p>“As of now it is a possibility I think that the impeachment will proceed unchanged depending on how it plays out,” House impeachment prosecutor Rodge Gutierrez said.  </p><p>Gutierrez, who is also among the lower chamber’s Deputy Majority Leaders, noted that there is “no official talk” yet at the House of Representatives regarding the special session, but they are “anticipating” that possibility, and “will comply”. </p><div><strong>— With a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong> </div><div><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/Dhkx_cG6u1s?&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/k9BZ8S1C1Jo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>House prosecutors will recognize the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian as the presiding officer of the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas 2nd District said Friday.</p>

House prosecutors will recognize the leadership of Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian as the presiding officer of the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas 2nd District said Friday.

House prosecutors recognize Gatchalian as impeachment trial officer, Luistro says

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House prosecutors recognize Gatchalian as impeachment trial officer, Luistro says

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 05, 2026 01:12 PM PHT

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Updated June 05, 2026 04:28 PM PHT

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Sherwin Gatchalian

Senate

Alan Peter Cayetano

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