THE Senate is set to convene as an Impeachment Court on Monday, May 18, at 3:00 PM — or sooner if procedural matters allow — following the formal receipt of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano announced on Thursday.
In an official letter addressed to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Cayetano confirmed that the upper chamber has officially received the impeachment documents transmitted from the lower house on Wednesday evening, and that preparations are now underway to proceed with the constitutional process. “The Secretariat has been directed to include the Articles of Impeachment in the calendar for ordinary business for referral to the impeachment court, which shall be convened on May 18, 2026, 3 p.m. or at the possible soonest time absent any question to the rules and procedure related to the transmitted Articles,” Cayetano stated in the correspondence.
Once formally convened, the Senate will issue the necessary summons to all parties involved and set the full schedule for the actual impeachment trial.
Cayetano noted, however, that a major concern moving forward is how to manage the legislative workload amid the ongoing political and security crisis gripping the chamber. “The biggest issue for me is the balancing of legislative work given the crisis na ating kinahaharap,” he said, referring to the recent lockdown, gunfire incident, and the departure of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa from the premises while facing an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Despite these challenges, Cayetano assured that the constitutional mandate will be fulfilled and the process will move forward as scheduled or earlier if rules permit.
The development comes just two days after the House of Representatives voted 257‑25 on Tuesday to impeach Vice President Duterte for the second time.
The articles filed against her include charges of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. With the Senate now taking jurisdiction, the Vice President stands accused of serious offenses while serving as the second‑highest official of the land, in what marks one of the most high‑profile and politically divisive impeachment proceedings in the country’s history. Cayetano added that after the initial convening, further dates will be set for both the prosecution and defense to appear before the Impeachment Court and present their respective cases.
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