Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The election of Sen. Francis Escudero as Presiding Officer of the Senate Impeachment Court is “valid” and “has legal basis”, according to Impeachment Court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol.He issued the statement after Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that if a senator other than Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian presides over the impeachment trial, it could “put at risk” the whole process, which may be questioned.Tongol rejected this view.“Mayroon naman pong basehan ang Presiding Officer,  pati ‘yung majority of the Senators. Nabanggit ni Sen. Kiko Pangilinan ‘yan. Ipinasok na rin sa records ng Impeachment Court ‘yung mga kaso ng Umali vs JBC at Chavez vs JBC na nagsasaad na malinaw po ang Konstitutsyon, na hindi ipinagbabawal ang pag-elect ng presiding officer in impeachment trials sa Article 11 Sec 3 No 8. At dahil nagpasa rin ang Senado ng kanilang rules sa pag amyenda ng resolution 39. Yun ang naging legal na basehan para balido ang pag-elect at pag-upo ni Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero,” he explained.“Alam naman po natin na political question ‘yun. I cannot hazard a guess kung mana-null and void siya… The majority vote stands and is valid until the Supreme Court says it is not valid,” Tongol added.He noted that the “agreement” will allow Gatchalian to focus on his legislative duties.“Sen. Gatchalian can now exert all his efforts doon sa legislative duties naman ng Senado. Hindi niya kinakailangan sobrang mag-aral ng metikuloso tungkol sa Rules of Evidence. Dahil hindi na siya nag-Presoding Officer, pwede niyang irelegate ‘yun sa presiding officer, at makakatutok siya sa importanteng legislative matters. Nagkasundo sila at ‘yung mayorya na mas maganda ‘yung ganoon para sa ikabibilis ng proseso at hindi pagkaantala ng legislative agenda naman ng Senado,” Tongol said.“Para mapabilis ang proseso, dahil ma-technical ang proceedings ng any korte. So para matulungan ang isa’t isa, nag-division of labor sila. It was a very amicable and very friendly agreement sa kanila at sa mayorya,” he added.Tongol also explained why Gatchalian sits beside the Presiding Officer during the trial.“When it comes to the impeachment trial, they are equals, may division lang ng labor. We do not want to degrade the Office of the Senate President para bumaba doon sa katulad na upuan ng ibang senator-judges. Kaya minarapat na parang kapareho lang din ng nangyari noong impeachment ni Pres. Estrada- nakaupo ang presiding officer, which is the Chief Justice, katabi niya ang Senate President, co-equal on matter,” the Impeachment Court spokesperson said.Senator-judges, meanwhile, will have to discuss among themselves how they will act on Cayetano’s call for the Impeachment Court to communicate with the Sandiganbayan to allow Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada to attend Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.“‘Yun ‘yung mga pag-uusapan ng ating mga Senador, in either executive session or a caucus… Kailangan lang nilang pag-usapan. Will they send a letter to the Sandiganbayan or may resolution ba ang Senate regarding that,” Tongol said.<div>CANNOT BE COMPELLED</div>Duterte cannot be compelled to physically appear before the Senate Impeachment Court, according to Tongol.He explained that she was represented by counsels and already filed her Answer to Articles of Impeachment.“Cannot be compelled to attend, because one mayroon siyang right against self-incrimination under the Constitution. Hindi rin siya kinakailangang pumunta naman, kasi wala namang pangangailangan sa pagpunta niya, dahil narerepresenta na siya ng kanyang mga abugado, at ‘yung depensa niya ay narerepresenta na rin ng answer na finile... It’s up to her,” Tongol said.“Hindi criminal case ito, sui generis ito, so hindi na kailangan mag-enter ng plea nang ganoong ka-pormal katulad ng nirerequest ng prosekusyon. Kaya kinonsidera na ng korte na sufficient na ang pag-attend at pag-file ng answer bilang voluntary appearance ng respondent,” he added.“‘Yung previous impeachments, hindi na binasa ang articles of impeachment… dahil kino-konsidera na ng trial court ang pagfa-file ng answer bilang voluntary appearance doon sa respondent. Immaterial na ang physical o ‘yung actual na pagpunta ng bise presidente, dahil nag-file na sila ng answer. Andoon din ang mga abugado ng respondent para mag-enter ng appearance in her behalf,” Tongol noted.

The election of Sen. Francis Escudero as Presiding Officer of the Senate Impeachment Court is “valid” and “has legal basis”, according to Impeachment Court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol.

The election of Sen. Francis Escudero as Presiding Officer of the Senate Impeachment Court is “valid” and “has legal basis”, according to Impeachment Court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol.

Escudero's election as impeachment court president officer 'valid, has legal basis'

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Escudero's election as impeachment court president officer 'valid, has legal basis'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 06, 2026 07:28 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

impeachment trial

Sara Duterte

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