MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has officially postponed the start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, citing the need to reorganize the House prosecution panel in line with the new composition of the 20th Congress.
Senate President Francis Escudero, who will serve as the presiding officer of the impeachment court, said the prosecution and defense teams must be properly constituted before the trial can proceed.
Escudero explained that the House of Representatives must designate a new set of prosecutors, as several lawmakers who were initially part of the impeachment proceedings have either exited Congress following the recent elections or assumed new positions.
“The Senate cannot proceed until the House forms its new prosecution panel consistent with the composition of the 20th Congress,” Escudero said.
Despite the delay, the Senate president assured the public that preparations for the impeachment trial are ongoing.
He noted that procedural groundwork remains to be done, including the drafting of impeachment rules and resolving pending legal questions surrounding the complaints filed against the Vice President.
Escudero did not provide a specific date for the resumption of the proceedings but reiterated the Senate’s commitment to ensuring a fair, transparent, and constitutionally grounded trial once all requirements are in place.