Think tank urges senators to rise above politics in VP trial

MANILA, Philippines — As the Senate prepares to start impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, international think tank Stratbase Institute on Sunday challenged the senators “to rise above political alliances and personal interests.”

Stratbase president Dindo Manhit stressed that the upcoming impeachment trial will serve as a challenge for incumbent, returning, and newly elected lawmakers to overcome coalitions and personal gains.

“No one can dictate the outcome of impeachment proceedings. These lie within the Senate’s constitutional mandate. With this, senators must rise above political alliances and personal interests and base their decisions on credible and reliable evidence,” he pointed out in a statement.

He reminded senators that their loyalty is “not to certain personalities or allies, but to the Filipino people.”

Manhit also underscored that political stability, just like the trust and confidence of the Filipinos, can be achieved only when government leaders are held accountable for their actions.

READ: Chiz Escudero: Senate convenes as impeachment court June 3

“Accountability is the foundation of stable and credible institutions. Without it, there will be no public trust. The strength of our democracy lies in how well we hold those in power to account. This is how we create lasting political stability,” he noted, adding that “the strength of our institutions is measured not by the authority, but by how openly and honestly authorities can be questioned, corrected, and held accountable for their actions.”

Manhit stressed that ordinary Filipinos and the social services that are meant for them will be at the “losing end” should leaders end up unaccountable for their actions, warning that this can even lead to social unrest and instability.

Trial mechanics

Geopolitical expert and Inquirer columnist Richard Heydarian also challenged government leaders to “come forward and uphold the rule of law.”

He said senators must manifest the rules-based order, and this should be reflected during the impeachment process.

“The mechanics of the trial matters. The trial has to be seen as credible. The people involved in the trial have to be credible. And the people in the trial have to make sure that when they point out corruption and all, it has to be fair, meaning it looks at culpability on all levels; it doesn’t fundamentally undermine faith in the entire system,” Heydarian said in the same Stratbase statement.

Senate President Francis Escudero earlier informed Speaker Martin Romualdez that the senators were ready to receive the House of Representatives panel of prosecutors for the reading of impeachment charges against Duterte when Congress resumes its session on June 2.

Escudero said the Senate expects the prosecution to read the seven charges under the Articles of Impeachment in open session, a procedure following the first rule on impeachment trials.

The following day, June 3, the Senate will convene as an impeachment court for the purpose of issuing the summons and other relevant orders related to Duterte’s impeachment.

Duterte is accused of bribery, graft, corruption, and culpable violation of the Constitution in connection with the alleged misuse of up to P612 million in confidential funds of her office and that of the Department of Education, which she led from 2022 to 2024.

The impeachment trial was scheduled to start on July 30 under the new Congress, based on the initial timetable provided by Escudero.

‘Fluid’ situation

Meanwhile, with 12 new senators set to assume office in the 20th Congress, will there be a leadership shake-up?

While Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada is not ruling out a possible leadership change in the upper chamber, he is optimistic that Escudero will retain his post as president.

“Everything is still possible. Everything is still fluid,” Estrada told reporters last week. “I’ve been a witness to that, and everything is still fluid. But I’m confident that probably Senate President Escudero will still retain his position as the Senate President.”

Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III has openly declared his readiness to reclaim his previous post as Senate President if supported by the majority or at least 13 of the 24 senators.

The President’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, also claimed that some of her colleagues have expressed their support for her to replace Escudero, but she did not categorically say if she has accepted their supposed endorsement.

Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo said both Escudero and Sotto reached out to him and sought a meeting about the Senate leadership issue. /cb/abc

(2025/05/26-05:30)