Escudero orders Senate offices to prepare for Duterte impeachment trial

Metro Manila, Philippines - An order has been issued directing the relevant Senate offices to organize and provide administrative support ahead of the convening of the impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero issued Special Order No. 2025-015 on Feb. 20, Senate Secretary Rey Bantug confirmed on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

“The SO pertains to administrative support for the trial,” Bantug told NewsWatch Plus in a text message.

“Since the Senate… is not really organized as a court, we need to define the role of certain secretariat offices and also delineate the respective areas of responsibilities so that we can all prepare, in advance of the trial,” Bantug explained.

He added that the concerned offices will assign staff to specific tasks, balancing legislative work with trial preparations. The special order, he said, was issued after consultations with these offices.

Under the order, the Senate secretary is designated as clerk of court to assist the presiding officer, the Senate president, in the administration of the impeachment court.

Responsibilities will include recording and reporting proceedings, maintaining and preserving court records, preparing and serving notices and summons, preparing the court calendar and trial business, administering oaths, ensuring proper procedures for pleadings and submissions, and supervising security and safety measures for orderly proceedings.

The Office of the Senate Legal Counsel, meanwhile, shall draft and prepare subpoenas, writs, summons, orders, resolutions, decisions, and other legal instruments, among others.

It will also prepare legal memoranda and briefs, summaries of proceedings and pleadings, mark exhibits, and assist the clerk of court in procedural and substantive matters.

The Deputy Secretary for Legislation shall be responsible for transcripts, forms of oath, trial business, drafting impeachment court resolutions, maintaining custody of documents, and processing requests for relevant documents, subject to the approval of the clerk of court.

Finally, the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for serving summons, subpoenas, and other legal processes, maintaining security for the presiding officer, prosecution and defense panels, witnesses, and guests, and ensuring order in the chamber during proceedings.

Escudero’s order was effective immediately until the end of Duterte’s trial unless revoked or amended.

The Senate leader has remained firm on holding the full trial in July, following the approval of the rules when session resumes in June.

A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court seeking to compel the Senate to immediately convene the impeachment court, in line with its constitutional duty to proceed “forthwith" with the Articles of Impeachment.

Another petition, filed by Duterte, seeks to dismiss the case altogether, arguing that the fourth impeachment complaint passed by the House on Feb. 5 violated the constitutional rule that an impeachable official can only face one such complaint per year.

The high court has directed lawmakers to comment on these petitions.