By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, on Tuesday formally issued a writ of summons to Vice President Sara Duterte, directing her to respond to the articles of impeachment within 10 days of receipt.
Senate President and presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced the issuance of the summons shortly after the chamber voted 18–5 to return the complaint to the House of Representatives for clarification.
Escudero clarified that the return of the complaint was not a dismissal, and the impeachment process remains active.
“In a few minutes, with the issuance of the summons, it will be made clear that there is no such intention to dismiss the case,” Escudero said.
“There is every intention by this impeachment court to comply with the rules, at least insofar as the issuance of the summons under our Rules and during the 19th Congress,” he added.
Escudero emphasized that the vote earlier in the day did not constitute a ruling on whether the House of Representatives violated the constitutional one-year ban on multiple impeachment attempts, nor did it preempt the action of the incoming 20th Congress.
“The intention is to give the prosecutors the opportunity to address legal concerns without wasting the court’s time or pre-judging the matter,” he said.
Under Article 7 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, the issuance of a summons follows the formal organization of the court and the presentation of the articles of impeachment.
The Vice President is required to file her answer within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the summons and the complaint. Prosecutors, in turn, have five days to file their reply.
Escudero thanked the members of the Senate, particularly Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, for steering the court through what he called a “lively discourse” that enriched both the Senate’s records and the broader national debate.
“I am grateful we were able to conclude the first vote of the impeachment court. There will be many more in the coming weeks and months—whether during the 19th or the 20th Congress,” he added. (PNA)
