The Supreme Court (SC) En Banc is set to hear the petition seeking to compel the Senate to begin the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, spokesperson Camille Sue Mae Ting said on Monday.
In a message to reporters, Ting said “The case was raffled today and will possibly be included in tomorrow’s agenda, along with other petitions.”
Lawyer Catalino Generillo, Jr. filed the petition last week, arguing that the members of the Senate are not suffering from any kind of physical or mental disability that prevents them from constituting themselves into an impeachment court.
He stressed that the word “forthwith” used in the Constitution means immediately or without delay.
Generillo pointed out that Sec. 3, Article XI of the Constitution provides “in case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.”
The petition noted that the law does not allow the Senate to procrastinate during the period it is in recess whether it shall constitute itself into an impeachment court and try the Vice President.
In a separate interview with Manila Standard, independent policy analyst and constitutionalist Michael Yusingco said he hopes it will not be dismissed outright.
“I hope the SC hears arguments so we will [have a] jurisprudence on the issue,” he said.
As this developed, House of Representatives impeachment prosecutor Rep. Jil Bongalon of Ako Bicol Party-list said that recent surveys underscore the necessity of proceeding with Duterte’s impeachment trial to satisfy the populace’s demand for accountability.
“The survey results are a clear indication that the Filipino people are calling for justice and transparency. As representatives of the people, it is our duty to heed this call and ensure that the impeachment process moves forward,” she said on Monday.
A Tangere survey conducted from February 10 to 12, 2025, revealed that 73 percent of Filipinos believe the Vice President should face a Senate impeachment trial over allegations of plotting to assassinate President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
“What is clear is that our countrymen demand that anyone who violates the law be held accountable, even if they are among the highest officials in the country)
The impeachment complaint, endorsed by 215 members of the House, accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “SC to hear petition for Senate to convene impeachment court.”