SENATE President Francis “Chiz” Escudero denied on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, that he is afraid of and protecting Vice President Sara Duterte from impeachment.
In an interview, Escudero belied the claims of opposition lawmakers from the House of Representatives and impeachment complainants from the Makabayan coalition that he is shielding Duterte’s impending impeachment trial.
House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro said the Senate has a clear mandate to proceed with Duterte’s impeachment trial, and that by not doing so, "they are protecting" the Vice President.
“Hindi (not protecting Duterte). Siguro sa tinagal-tagal ko sa pamahalaan at paninilbihan sa publiko, kailanman hindi ako nagpasya base sa takot. Pero kailanman din hindi ako naging tagasunod ninuman,” said Escudero.
(Not protecting Duterte. Perhaps, in all my years in government and public service, I have never made decisions out of fear. But I have also never been a follower of anyone.)
“At kung 'yang mga mambabatas na 'yan ay tagasunod ng (House Speaker Martin Romualdez) na gustong i-impeach si Vice President Sara, hindi ho ako kasama sa listahang 'yun,” he added.
(And if those lawmakers are followers of [House Speaker Martin Romualdez] who want to impeach Vice President Sara, I am not part of that list.)
Escudero earlier said the Senate postponed the reading of the impeachment complaints against Duterte, from the originally scheduled June 2 to June 11, following consultations with some senators after the Legislative-Executive Development Council (LEDAC) meeting on Thursday, May 29.
He maintained that the postponement was brought about by the need to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourned sine die on June 14.
The Senate President also denied that President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., who had earlier expressed displeasure over the impeachment complaints against Duterte, intervened in the delay.
From June 11, Duterte will be given at least 10 days to respond to the impeachment complaints against her. The period can be extended depending on Duterte’s request.
During a plenary session Monday, June 2, Senator Francis Tolentino said Duterte’s impeachment case will be considered “functionally dismisses” if the trial will not be completed before June 30, the end of the 19th Congress.
Tolentino noted that “unfinished business does not carry over into a new Congress.”
“If we cannot conclude the trial before June 30, 2025, we must recognize this impeachment case is functionally dismissed by constitutional operation and no action can be taken by the 20th Congress on the matter for lack of constitutional authority,” Tolentino said.
“Only 12 senators remain after each election, insufficient to form a quorum. Thus, unlike the US Senate or the Philippine Senate under the 1935 Constitution, we cannot carry unfinished proceedings into the next Congress. Allowing the 20th Congress to take over this trial would be ultra vires or beyond our constitutional power. Mr. President, kahit anong pilit, hindi maitatawid, lalo na't kung lalabag sa Saligang Batas,” he added.
Escudero said Senate lawmakers have different opinions on the impeachment trial on whether it can be carried over to the 20th Congress or not.
“Magkaiba ang opinyon ng mga senador diyan…'Yang bagay na 'yan, malamang pagbobotohan namin bago namin talakayin 'yung impeachment kung saan malayang makakapagsalita at debate ang mga miyembro ng Senado kaugnay niyan,” Escudero said.
(Senators have differing opinions on that… That matter will most likely be put to a vote before we begin discussing the impeachment, where members of the Senate will be free to speak and debate about it.)
In an interview in the Hague, Netherlands, Duterte said she does not believe that Escudero is sitting on her impeachment case because he is afraid of her.
“Sa pagkakilala ko naman kay Senate President Chiz Escudero ay hindi natatakot ‘yun… I do not know him na natatakot na klase na politiko. So hindi ko lang alam saan nanggagaling ‘yung sinasabi na takot si Senator Chiz Escudero. Hindi ko alam saan galing ‘yan,” Duterte said.
(From what I know of Senate President Chiz Escudero, he’s not someone who gets scared… I don’t see him as the kind of politician who is afraid. So I really don’t know where the claim that Senator Chiz Escudero is afraid is coming from. I have no idea where that’s coming from.)
On February 5, the last day of session before the 19th Congress went on a four-month recess for the 2025 elections, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint.
The complaint centers on six major allegations, each linked to alleged violations of the 1987 Constitution, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and other laws.
The complaint was submitted to the Senate on the same day, but the upper chamber did not discuss the complaint as it went on break.
"The complaint includes Duterte’s alleged involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., his wife, and Speaker Romualdez; the malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as secretary from 2022 to 2024; and acts of bribery and corruption within the DepEd.
The complaints also cite Duterte’s unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets; her alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings, particularly during her tenure as Mayor of Davao City; and her alleged role in acts of destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)