HOUSE Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms chair Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Friday appealed to senators to reject any attempt to terminate the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte through a technicality, procedural shortcut, or motion to dismiss before the Senate hears the evidence in open trial.
Alonto Adiong, a House Assistant Majority Leader, raised the appeal after Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s May 14 letter to Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III mentioned the convening of the impeachment court but made no categorical assurance or reference to the actual start of the full trial where evidence would be presented and tested.
“The constitutional duty of the Senate is to proceed to trial and receive evidence before rendering judgment,” Alonto Adiong said. “May seryosong pangamba ngayon na baka ang impeachment trial ay mauwi sa dismissal or ma-remand pabalik sa Kamara bago pa marinig ang ebidensiya.”
“That will be a grave disservice to the public, especially after the House has already performed its constitutional duty,” he added.
In his letter to Dy, Cayetano wrote that the Senate “has taken proper order of the impeachment and shall immediately proceed to its consideration” under Article XI, Section 3 of the Constitution.
The same letter stated that the Articles of Impeachment had been directed for inclusion in the Calendar for Ordinary Business for referral to the Impeachment Court, which “shall be convened on 18 May 2026, 3:00 PM, or at the soonest possible time, absent any question on the rules and procedure relating to the transmitted Articles.”
“Every time SP Cayetano speaks, he says the Senate will immediately convene as an impeachment court. Pero never pa natin naririnig nang malinaw ay kung kailan nila sisimulan ang trial, kailan maririnig ang ebidensiya, and whether they will reject any motion to dismiss without first hearing the case,” Alonto Adiong expressed.
Alonto Adiong said the distinction matters because convening the impeachment court is only the beginning of the Senate’s constitutional responsibility, while the real test of accountability is whether senators will allow the prosecution and the defense to present evidence before any move to dismiss or remand is entertained.
The House of Representatives voted 257-25-9 to approve the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, far exceeding the one-third constitutional requirement to transmit the case to the Senate for trial.
The Articles of Impeachment cover allegations involving the alleged misuse and irregular liquidation of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, alleged bribery of education officials and alleged threats against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“The Senate should not entertain a motion to dismiss without a hearing. Kung may gustong magkuwestiyon, gawin nila sa tamang proseso, pero huwag nilang patayin ang kaso sa technicalities bago pa makaharap ang ebidensiya,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
Alonto Adiong said the phrase “absent any question on the rules and procedure relating to the transmitted Articles” has caused concern because it may be invoked to raise procedural challenges that could derail the case before the Senate even reaches the substance of the charges.
He emphasized that the constitutional structure of impeachment gives the House the sole power to impeach and the Senate the duty to try and decide, making it crucial that the upper chamber does not use procedure as a substitute for trial.
He added that the public has a right to see whether the allegations can be proven or disproven, especially after Duterte’s camp repeatedly maintained that she is prepared to answer the case in the proper forum.
Alonto Adiong said any move to dismiss or remand the Articles without a genuine hearing would deepen public suspicion that the Senate leadership change was meant to weaken accountability and prevent the Vice President from facing the evidence.
“At this point, the Senate must be very careful because the country is watching. They should not convene merely to stop the trial, but to begin it,” he stated.
Alonto Adiong urged Cayetano and the majority bloc to clearly commit that the impeachment court will hear the substance of the case and will not allow any procedural maneuver to bury the trial before it starts.
“Our appeal is simple: hear the case, receive the evidence and let the truth be tested in the open. Anything less will look like an escape hatch for accountability,” Alonto Adiong said.
