Senator-Judges Allowed Public Comments in Impeachment Trial
MANILA, Philippines — Senator-judges will retain the freedom to express public opinions on issues surrounding the pending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said. This approach supports transparency and public education during the impeachment process.
“I think the presiding officer believes that, whatever happens, preliminarily discussing the issues presented before the court is beneficial for everyone’s understanding of how this highly democratic process should unfold,” Tongol explained during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
He added, “It’s good that there’s freedom to give opinions, whether negative or positive, because the case is only in the preliminaries. The merits of the case have yet to be heard. I believe the presiding officer has not issued any gag order.”
Applying Senate Rules Sparingly in Trial Proceedings
Tongol noted that Rule 18 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials will be applied sparingly during this phase. The rule instructs that the presiding officer and senators should avoid public comments on the merits of a pending impeachment case. This also covers the prosecutors, the accused, their counsel, and witnesses.
“It’s important that senator-judges explain their votes during the preliminaries. This phase is somewhat uncharted territory,” Tongol said, emphasizing the need for transparency and open dialogue at this stage.
Vice President Duterte Defends Senator-Judges’ Participation
Last Monday, Vice President Sara Duterte stated that senator-judges should not be asked to inhibit themselves despite calls for recusals, especially for those she endorsed in the 2025 midterm elections. Among her endorsements were Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go.
Both senators initially moved to dismiss the complaint against Duterte and seconded the motion in early June. However, they eventually voted in favor of sending the impeachment articles back to the House, following a motion by Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
Details of Charges Against Vice President Duterte
Duterte faces allegations including culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and other serious offenses. The accusations focus on her alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
Impeachment Court Awaits Vice President’s Response
According to Tongol, the vice president has until Monday night to respond to the Senate impeachment court’s summons. The outcome of this reply could affect the next steps in the trial.
For more news and updates on senator-judges allowed public comments, visit Filipinokami.com.