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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
June 9, 2025 | 11:51am
Protesters urge the Senate outside its gates to start the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, June 9, 2025.
Akbayan Partylist via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Civil society groups, members of religious congregations and progressive organizations will mount starting Monday, June 9 a three-day rally and prayer vigil for the Senate to follow its constitutional mandate and start Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial this week.
Throngs of protesters who marched to the Senate on Monday morning included members from Akbayan Partylist, ML Partylist, civil society coalition Tindig Pilipinas, and progressives from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), among others.
Pressure has been mounting on the Senate to cease further delays in holding the impeachment trial after several Catholic universities and faculty members from colleges of law released statements last week urging them to start the proceedings.
Under fire. Senate President Chiz Escudero has come under fire for postponing the trial and saying that the expiration of the 19th Congress could stall the proceedings further. Sen. Francis Tolentino has similarly tagged the case as "functionally dismissed" if the trial is not held before June 30.
The reading of the articles of impeachment against Duterte was moved from June 2 to 11 — three days before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 14.
Individual members of the UP College of Law have brushed off the Senate's excuses over continuing the impeachment trial in the 20th Congress, saying concerns on the carryover should be addressed by the incoming Senate, not used as an excuse for delay.
"Preempting this decision would be fundamentally undemocratic and contradicts the core principles of the 'non-continuing body' doctrine," they warned in an earlier joint statement.
Sustained pressure. Those part of the three-day mass action from June 9 to 11 have vowed to maintain pressure on the upper chamber.
“More and more people are stepping forward because the Senate refuses to," Akbayan Partylist President Rafaela David said in a statement. "The only obstacle is the Senate leadership, who seem either afraid or determined to protect the impeached Vice President.”
To address time constraints, Tolentino has proposed an expedited timeline to compress the whole proceedings into just 19 days from June 11 to June 30. The senator suggested the prosecution could "narrow down" the impeachment raps from seven to just two.
But David sees Tolentino's proposal — a verbal one, for now — as "absurd" and a "trap disguised as compromise."
"[Tolentino's] proposal is a pathetic attempt to save face after his widely mocked ‘de facto dismissal’ argument. It’s also a demolition job in disguise,” David said.
The three-day mass action began Monday morning with an ecumenical gathering and people's march in front of the Senate.
It will continue tomorrow, Tuesday, with a vigil outside the Senate from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On the day of the trial, the protesters will hold a rally outside the Senate from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Three separate polls held from April to May by survey firms OCTA Research, Social Weather Stations and WR Numero have found that a large majority of Filipinos (78% to 90%) want Duterte to face the charges against her in an impeachment trial.
