Vice President Sara Duterte is accompanied by some senators as she leaves the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City after the Office of the Vice President budget hearing and press conference on Sept. 29, 2025.The Philippine STAR / Jesse Bustos

Cayetano: Senate to move quickly on Sara Duterte impeachment

13 May 2026 by Ian Laqui · philstar

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will act on the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte immediately the moment it receives them from the House of Representatives, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said.

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday night, May 12, Cayetano said they would convene "forthwith" upon receipt of the Articles of Impeachment.

"We will do what has to be done, and there won't be delays," Cayetano said.

"That's why I want a majority caucus so that it's not just a decision of only one group," he added.

It should be noted that Cayetano is the current Senate President, having been elected by pro-Duterte senators on May 11, ousting former Senate President Tito Sotto.

As Senate leader, he will be responsible for convening the impeachment court, which will be composed of senator-judges.

The change in Senate leadership coincided with the House of Representatives voting to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on May 11.

Lawmakers in the lower chamber voted overwhelmingly, 257-25, to impeach Duterte for the second time in two years.

If the Senate convenes as an impeachment court, it will be dominated by the majority bloc, composed of members aligned with the vice president's father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte.

What happened before? In February 2025, the first Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were transmitted to the Senate.

However, during the tenure of former Senate President Francis Escudero, the chamber did not convene as an impeachment court.

After finally convening once as an impeachment court, the Senate voted to halt the trial and send the case back to the House for clarification on constitutional compliance, effectively delaying the trial further.

The Supreme Court in July 2025 said the first impeachment complaint against Duterte was unconstitutional for violating the one impeachment complaint per year rule.