CAYETANO ASSURES NO DELAY ON VP SARA IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS

SENATE President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday, May 14, 2026, formally signed the letter informing the House of Representatives that the Senate had received the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte and would “immediately” proceed with its constitutional mandate to convene the Senate as an impeachment court.

Addressed to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, the letter stated that the Senate received the impeachment complaint on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

“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 Monday, May 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m., or at the soonest possible time  thereafter, absent any question on the rules and procedures related to the transmitted Articles,” the letter read.

The planned May 18 convening, however, is not yet final and remains subject to questions or motions that may be raised regarding the Senate’s rules and procedures.

Cayetano assured the public that the majority bloc is not seeking to delay the impeachment proceedings and said they are prepared to proceed under the existing impeachment rules.

“There’s no reason not to convene and take our oaths on Monday. From the Majority side, nag-caucus kami kagabi, I don’t see any amendments to the rules [to happen]. Kung ano y’ung good na rules sa mga dating na-impeach, good din sa amin ngayon,” he said.

Once convened, Cayetano said he would take his oath as presiding officer before the 23 senators who would also take their oaths as senator-judges, after which the Senate would issue summons to the parties involved.

“I’m trying to unite the Senate, the senators, our people by just simply following the law, the Constitution, our rules, and what is right,” he said.

Cayetano stressed that the impeachment proceedings would strictly follow the Constitution and the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, particularly on the required timelines for submissions and responses before the start of the trial proper.

“I will act in accordance with the rules. There always has to be legal grounds, and I will decide based on truth and evidence,” he said.

He added that while the Senate is already preparing a draft calendar for the impeachment proceedings, the actual duration of the trial will still depend on procedural requirements, the number of witnesses, and the Articles involved.

“It depends kasi kung ilan ang witnesses and It depends sa articles. That’s why I don’t want to speculate,” Cayetano said. 

The Senate President said the chamber would balance its legislative work with the impeachment process amid ongoing national concerns requiring urgent legislation, but maintained that the Senate remained committed to fulfilling its constitutional duty without unnecessary delay.