Chiz takes oath, setting in motion impeach trial

Robin wants to effectivel terminate’ trial

- By NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

After hours of plenary debate, Senate President Francis Escudero took his oath last night as presiding officer of the impeachment court, setting in motion the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The other senators will take their oath at 4 p.m. today to sit as judges in the court. The Senate convenes as an impeachment court tomorrow, June 11.

The senators reached the decision as multisectoral groups camped out at the gates of the Senate, demanding the start of the trial "forthwith" as stated in the Constitution.

As senators were debating a motion pushed by minority senators Koko Pimentel and Risa Hontiveros for the immediate start of the trial process, Sen. Robinhood Padilla filed a resolution declaring the impeachment proceedings "effectively terminated." Citing "constitutional deadlines" such as the end of the 19th Congress on June 30, Padilla's Senate Resolution 1371 argued that the chamber would be unable to act on the matter within the term of the current senators, which expires at noon of that date.

Padilla's resolution referenced a manifestation made by Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino during the chamber's session on June 2, in which he warned that delaying the trial until just days before adjournment would raise "serious constitutional concerns." "The Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte had long been transmitted to this Chamber 117 days ago, yet the impeachment trial a process that, under the Constitution, must commence 'forthwith' upon receipt has been delayed for several months," Tolentino said, as quoted by the resolution.

He emphasized that the term "forthwith" in the Constitution denotes an imperative for immediate action, and that initiating trial just before adjournment undermines both due process and the Senate's institutional integrity.

Motion to start