SENATE RESUMES SESSION, IMPEACHMENT TRIAL ON NOV. 9

THE Senate is set to resume plenary sessions on Monday, November 9, 2026, following a month-long recess, with the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 as among the key measures up for deliberation.

The resumption is in accordance with Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 13, adopted on August 3, 2026, which sets November 9 as the resumption of sessions for the second regular session of the 20th Congress. The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is also set to resume on the same day.

Last month, Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero outlined the schedule for Duterte’s trial

The impeachment court will hold proceedings throughout November, with full-day hearings scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on November 10, 12, 13, 19 and 20. The November 9 proceedings will be suspended at 3 p.m. to give way for the Senate plenary session before resuming afterward. The same arrangement may be applied on November 11, if necessary. On the other hand, a shorter hearing is scheduled on November 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The trial calendar covers November 9 to 13 and November 19, 20, and 23. The trial will be suspended on November 30, a non-working holiday in observance of the Bonifacio Day.

Escudero noted that the impeachment court stands to lose eight available trial days this month, citing the three-week recess, budget hearings, the ASEAN-related break, and other scheduling constraints.

Meanwhile, the Senate’s budget calendar schedules interpellations on the general principles of the proposed 2027 national budget from November 23 to December 1.

The chamber is scheduled to approve the budget on second reading on December 3 and on third reading on December 7.  Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations are set for December 10 to 12, followed by the signing of the bicameral conference committee report on December 21 and its ratification on December 22.