House asks Escudero to issue summons to Duterte

Metro Manila, Philippines - House prosecutors have urged Senate President Chiz Escudero to issue summons to impeached Vice President Sara Duterte.

4Ps Party-list Rep. Nonoy Libanan and 1-Rider party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez from the 11-man prosecution team led the filing of the entry with a motion to issue summons at the Senate on Tuesday, March 25.

The Senate will stand as the impeachment court and will hold the trial.

“A writ of summons shall be issued to the person impeached which will notify him/her to appear before the Honorable Impeachment Court and file his/her Answer to the Articles of Impeachment within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from receipt thereof,” the document read.

“It behooves the Honorable Impeachment Court to give effect to the constitutional mandate for the instant impeachment case to ‘forthwith proceed’ and issue the writ of summons,” it stated.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on Feb. 5 before going on a break for the midterm elections.

House lawmakers have been encouraging the Senate to convene as an impeachment court to begin the trial.

READ: Senate delay disrupting Duterte impeachment preparations - House prosecutor

But Escudero has been firm that the trial will begin in the 20th Congress or on July 30.

Issues on supposed mismanagement of confidential funds and the kill threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez have hounded the vice president.