THE SECOND week of May is perhaps the toughest time for the reorganized Philippine Senate with the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte — and surrender Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa amid an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.
The leadership change from Senate President Tito Sotto to Alan Peter Cayetano, a known Duterte ally, is being critically observed by the people, along with its designation of committee heads– particularly the Blue Ribbon Committee – which just might move to abandon or ignore the entire findings on the flood control scandal, the biggest heist in Philippine history.
This comes as committee heads identified with Sotto might just be replaced by the erstwhile ‘minority senators’ who are expected to ‘undo all’ that had been accomplished in several months.
What is most feared is that the Cayetano (new majority) bloc would resort to all tactics of delaying the trial of VP Duterte until such time that it would unilaterally archive the cases before the 2028 elections.
But this early, people are circulating in social media calls for People Power street protests to demand accountability and transparency for all erring officials, especially the newly- reorganized Senate.
As Business Mirror reported, the gates of the Senate premises in Pasay City may have opened Tuesday morning after Monday’s chaotic situation involving a leadership change and the botched arrest of Sen. Dela Rosa, but activists served notice they will press on with protests to prod the Senate to convene as an impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte.
A day after the historic second impeachment by the House of Representatives against Duterte, the Akbayan Youth urged the Senate to “forthwith” start the impeachment trial as provided under the 1987 Constitution, amid what is seen as an attempt by the so-called “Duterte bloc” to hijack the trial.
“Hindi na dapat ito pinapatagal pa. Malinaw ang sigaw ng kabataan: Simulan ang impeachment trial at papanagutin si Sara Duterte [There’s no reason to prolong this further. The call of the youth is clear: start the impeachment trial and make Sara Duterte be accountable],” said Frank Araneta, Akbayan! Youth Deputy Secretary General for Luzon, Business Mirror reported.
By a vote of 257 affirmative, 25 negative and 9 abstentions, the House of Representatives voted on Monday to impeach Duterte on four charges: misuse and irregular liquidation of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth, and grave threats and inciting to sedition.
Viral For Wrong Reasons
Sen. Anna Theresa “Risa” Hontiveros, who is with the minority, lamented, “The Senate is going viral for the wrong reasons. That affects everything and everyone: majority and minority, Senate employees, and most of all, the work that we do for the Filipino people. No one wins with this.”
She called on the new Senate leadership to “protect the dignity and reputation of the Senate,” adding that, “the people’s trust and respect in the Senate is lost when our powers and traditions are being misused to avoid accountability.”
Hontiveros continued: “As always, we can disagree. We must challenge each other. But the Senate must not become a mockery in the face of the Filipino people, especially when the public is looking to us to faithfully perform our constitutional duties.”
“Once and for all, proceed with the impeachment forthwith. The evidence is clear. From the bank records, to the PSA [Philippine Statistics Authority] certifications, it’s quite clear that Sara is guilty,” Araneta of Akbayan added, speaking in Filipino.
Araneta stressed that this is not a simple political war between blocs or parties, but a fight for accountability and the return of the credibility of a democratic institution.
Araneta recalled that former Senate President Francis Escudero had made a mockery of the impeachment process. “And now there’s Alan Cayetano and [Senator] Bato [Dela Rosa] who are adding to our shame before the whole world? Do we let people like these make us a laughingstock again?”
He protested the use of the Senate as a “waiting room” in the face of a clear call to make a sitting senator (Dela Rosa) accountable.
The groups are preparing protests to coincide with the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment from the House to the Senate.
Under Close Watch
“WE are watching—the millennials and Gen Z are watching. We won’t stop until Sara Duterte is held accountable,” said Araneta.
Petitioners of the impeachment complaint led by Tindig Pilipinas, meanwhile, held a news conference to slam the change of leadership in the Senate which it deems a desperate attempt to block the impeachment trial from proceeding in the senate.
The groups also called for the immediate arrest of Dela Rosa, and for the Senate to stop protecting an accused mass murderer and an impeached plunderer.
Bato On The Run
After the NBI-led team failed to arrest dela Rosa last Monday—he ran and they gave chase—senators led by Dela Rosa himself and backed by Rodante Marcoleta demanded that the arresting party be cited in contempt (and were jailed briefly) for blocking a sitting senator from doing his job.
As expected, Cayetano acceded by ordering the Office of the Sergeant at Arms to close all exits and detain the NBI-led team, sparking a scuffle between OSAA and the former.
The Senate Sergeant at Arms, retired general Rene Sarmiento, resigned.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag and Cayetano eventually forged a compromise, with the NBI agents allowed to leave, and Dela Rosa staying in the Senate.
Senators approved a motion by Marcoleta to place Dela Rosa under Senate “protective custody” until he is able to exhaust all legal remedies to protect himself.”
Legal luminaries opine that protective custody is given only to witnesses in criminal cases, victims of serious threats, or inmates whose safety is at risk in general population, sometimes resulting in 23-hour cell restriction.
Late Monday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirmed it had issued a warrant of arrest for de la Rosa, the first PNP chief of ICC-detained former President Duterte. Dela Rosa was chief enforcer of the bloody anti-drug war believed to have carried out thousands of extra-judicial killings.
Warning Against Delay
Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima on Tuesday warned that Senate’s possible refusal or indefinite delay in convening as an impeachment court of VP Duterte could be challenged before the Supreme Court (SC).
She said once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted, the Senate assumes a ministerial duty—one that is mandatory and leaves no room for discretion—to formally receive the articles, convene as an impeachment court, and initiate the trial process.
She also said the timing of Monday’s leadership change in the Senate cannot be separated from the impeachment proceedings. Cayetano replaced Sotto after securing the support of 13 senators—a development widely seen as reshaping the chamber on the eve of a potential impeachment trial. De Lima said the public is justified in questioning the intentions of the new Senate majority.
“Of course, it happened because they had the numbers—13 senators. We cannot avoid suspecting that this is connected to the impeachment, especially since they knew the House would vote on it and that there was already a strong majority in favor,” she said.
She then asked: “What does this leadership change mean? What are their plans? That is what we want to know—what does the new majority intend to do with the impeachment process?”
Respect The Constitution
De Lima stressed that the Constitution leaves no discretion when it comes to the Senate’s duty to act.
“Will they immediately take up the Articles of Impeachment once these are transmitted? The House will send them without delay—if not today, then tomorrow. Will they accept the articles right away? They have no choice. Will they convene as an impeachment court? Again, they have no choice. The Constitution is clear that the trial shall forthwith proceed once the articles are received,” she said.
She clarified that while the actual trial proceedings may not begin immediately, the Senate must at once initiate the constitutional process by formally accepting the articles, convening as an impeachment court, and taking the oath as senator-judges.
De Lima noted that a recent Supreme Court ruling allows some flexibility in interpreting the term “forthwith,” meaning action must be taken within a reasonable period. However, she emphasized that this does not remove the Senate’s obligation to convene.
Court As Last Resort
She also outlined the legal remedy should the Senate majority attempt to halt the process entirely.
“If the proceedings are delayed indefinitely, especially if the majority decides not to convene at all, a petition for mandamus is available. Convening and conducting a trial is a ministerial duty under the Constitution. They have no option, no discretion, and no authority to refuse. They must do it. The proper course of action would be to file a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court,” De Lima said, adding that refusal to convene would constitute a breach of constitutional duty.
“If they fail to convene, that would be a violation of their constitutional obligation. We will then have to determine what steps can be taken to hold them accountable,” she said, adding that a petition for mandamus would compel the Senate to act.
“A petition for mandamus simply compels them to convene as an impeachment court—that is what it is meant to do,” she said.
De Lima added that questions of possible administrative or criminal liability, including dereliction of duty, may be addressed later. For now, she said, the priority is clear: compel the Senate to fulfill its constitutional mandate.
“We continue to hope that the Senate, despite the leadership change, will act in accordance with the Constitution and uphold the principle of accountability,” she quipped.