Senate opens Duterte impeachment trial

THE Senate formally convened on Monday, July 6, 2026, as an impeachment court and opened the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, marking the start of one of the most consequential constitutional proceedings in recent Philippine history.Duterte did not personally appear during the opening session and was instead represented by her legal team, led by defense counsel Sheila Sison.The senator-judges elected Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as the presiding officer of the impeachment court before proceeding with the opening statements of both the prosecution and the defense.Escudero reminded senator-judges that a vote of at least 16 members of the impeachment court would be required to convict the Vice President.Leading the House prosecution panel, Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro said the impeachment trial is ultimately about accountability, stressing that no public official should be beyond the reach of the law.“If the ordinary Filipino is held accountable, why not the most powerful government official? This is the reason why this trial is important,” Luistro said.She argued that the proceedings concern not only the Vice President but also the Filipino people's money and trust in the government.“Maaaring sabihin na malayo sa buhay nila ang paglilitis na ito. Pero hindi po, sapagkat ang usapin ngayon ay patungkol sa isang bagay na pag-aari nilang lahat, ang kanilang pera, ang kanilang tiwala, ang kanilang karapatan na maningil ng pananagutan sa kanilang pinagkatiwalaan,” she said.(Some may say that this trial is far removed from their daily lives. But it is not, because what is at issue here concerns something that belongs to all of them -- their money, their trust, and their right to hold accountable those to whom they entrusted public office.)Drawing comparisons with ordinary government employees, Luistro said public servants at every level are required to account for public funds whenever irregularities arise.“Kapag ang isang empleyado ay nagkamali ng paggamit ng pera ng kompanya, siya ay pinagpapaliwanag. Kapag ang isang barangay treasurer, hindi maipaliwanag ang nawawalang pondo, siya ay inimbestigahan. Kapag ang isang principal ay naglustay ng pera ng bayan, kahit limang libo lang 'yan, siya ay pinaparusahan," she said.(When an employee mishandles a company's funds, they are required to explain. When a barangay treasurer cannot account for missing public funds, they are investigated. When a school principal misuses public money -- even if it is only P5,000 -- they are punished.)"Natural lamang na magtanong ang sambayanan, kung ang ordinaryong Pilipino ay pinapanagot, bakit hindi ang pinakamakapangyarihang opisyal ng pamahalaan?” she added.(It is only natural for the Filipino people to ask: If ordinary Filipinos are held accountable, why shouldn't the most powerful officials in government be held accountable as well?)Luistro also referred to Duterte's controversial public statements regarding alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying such incidents were unprecedented in the country's political history."In the history of our republic, there has never been a vice president with a hitman friend -- only now. There has never been a vice president who assassinates the president -- only now. There has never been a vice president willing to have someone killed just to seize,” she said.The impeachment trial stemmed from proceedings initiated by the House of Representatives earlier this year.Following months of committee deliberations, investigation of documentary evidence, and debates on multiple verified impeachment complaints, the House approved the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte and transmitted them to the Senate in May, paving the way for the upper chamber to convene as an impeachment court.The Articles of Impeachment accuse the Vice President of, among others, alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats.In her opening statement, Duterte's lead defense counsel Sheila Sison urged senator-judges to uphold fairness alongside accountability.“Justice includes accountability. Justice includes fairness. Without fairness there is abuse. This fairness is what our democracy is all about,” Sison said.The impeachment court also resolved several procedural matters during the opening session as the prosecution also agreed to the defense's proposal requiring both sides to disclose witnesses at least five days before they are called to testify.House prosecutor Representative Chel Diokno formally submitted the order in which the prosecution intends to present the Articles of Impeachment, beginning with Article IV (grave threats), followed by Article I (confidential funds), Article III (bribery), and Article II (unexplained wealth).Meanwhile, the impeachment court ordered that the sealed box containing the income tax return documents of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, be returned to the Bureau of Internal Revenue, ruling that the documents have not yet been formally offered as evidence.The court also issued subpoenas directing at least nine banks to submit bank records of Duterte and/or Carpio covering the period from 2006 to 2025. It likewise issued subpoenas ad testificandum for two National Bureau of Investigation agents to testify before the court.To promote transparency, the impeachment court directed the clerk of court to establish a dedicated page on the Senate website where pleadings, motions, memoranda, and the official journal of proceedings will be made publicly accessible after approval by the court.Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also moved to allow detained senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta to monitor and participate in the impeachment proceedings through a special arrangement with the courts. The proposal remains subject to the impeachment court's action. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)