MANILA, Philippines — Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino has proposed a resolution to fast-track the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, suggesting a strict 19-day calendar to conclude proceedings before the end of the 19th Congress on June 30.
Filed as Senate Resolution No. 1367, the proposal lays out a compressed trial schedule beginning June 11 with the formal constitution of the Senate as an impeachment court.
The timeline includes deadlines for the Vice President’s answer, prosecutors’ replies, trial briefs, presentation of evidence, rebuttals, and oral arguments — culminating in a closed-door caucus on June 29 and a verdict on June 30.
Tolentino said the expedited calendar ensures both due process and timely resolution, avoiding legal ambiguity if the case extends into the 20th Congress.
“The adoption of said calendar enables the Senate to resolve the trial within the term of the Nineteenth Congress,” the resolution stated.
However, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero raised concerns about rushing the process. “The goal should be to ensure due process for both parties, not to abbreviate the proceedings,” he said Monday.
He emphasized that the impeachment court, once fully convened, will decide whether to adopt the proposed schedule.
Escudero also clarified that the case may continue into the 20th Congress, contradicting Tolentino’s view that the trial must end by June 30. “That’s a decision the next Congress will have to make,” he added.
Earlier this week, Escudero took his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court, while the Senate also approved a motion by Senator Joel Villanueva for the rest of the senators to be sworn in as senator-judges on Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate unanimously voted to refer the verified impeachment complaint to the Committee on Rules.
Vice President Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers backing charges that include betrayal of public trust, graft, corruption, culpable violations of the Constitution, and other high crimes.
In a separate move, Senator Robin Padilla filed his own resolution calling for the termination of the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.
The fate of Tolentino’s 19-day calendar now rests in the hands of the impeachment court, which is expected to convene following the oath-taking of senator-judges.