THE Senate is prepared to conduct the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should the Supreme Court (SC) reverse its decision declaring the Articles of Impeachment against her unconstitutional, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Wednesday.
“Personally, yes, the answer is in the affirmative,” Sotto told reporters when asked about the possible resumption of Duterte’s impeachment trial. “The Senate itself, yes. If the SC says they are reversing their decision, then we will move to reclaim the Articles of Impeachment from the archives,” he said. In August, the Senate transferred the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the archives following the Supreme Court ruling.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
She pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
The SC deemed the impeachment complaint covered by the one-year rule and that Duterte’s right to due process had been violated, also stating that any subsequent impeachment complaint may be filed starting February 6, 2026. Three motions for reconsideration have been filed with the SC against its ruling, including those from the House of Representatives and the 1Sambayan coalition.
