Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, June 3, lamented the Senate’s stance on the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte saying this is the first time she is seeing the Upper Chamber dribbling its constitutional mandate.

“Ngayon lang ako nakakita ng bola na dini-dribble ng apat na buwan. Kahit naman sa basketball, may shot clock (This is the first time I am seeing a ball being dribbled for four months. Even in basketball, there's a shot clock),” Hontiveros said.

“Convening as an impeachment court and commencing trial is expressly mandated by the Constitution. And yet this process has been delayed and dragged on for four long months,” she said. 

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday, said it is the plenary that will ultimately decide on all impeachment matters pertaining to the trial of the vice president.

This even as the Senate prepares for the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment on June 11, 2025. Escudero had moved the scheduled presentation from June 2 to June 11, much to the dismay of some senators. 

The Senate leader defended the move saying the institution has to prioritize the passage of important measures in the next six days of its session. 

But Hontiveros said she sees the delay “no longer procedural.”

“In those four months, I’ve been called eager, aggressive, impatient, ‘atat.’ But the simple truth is this: We are not rushing. In fact, we have been waiting. The Filipino people are waiting. And we believe four months is more than enough,” she said.

“These delays are no longer procedural. They are obstructions dressed up as protocol. The impeachment process is a crucial means of demanding accountability exclusively entrusted by the people to the Senate. 

“Hindi ko ‘yan balak talikuran (I don’t intend to give that up). It’s time to follow the rules and start the process ‘forthwith’. Enough games. Time to move,” she said.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano also said he doesn’t see the need for the Senate to vote on whether to convene as an impeachment court for Duterte’s trial, because “it is a Constitutional mandate.”

“If it’s a Constitutional mandate, all you have to do is to do it. Having said that, though, implementing it and applying it to the 24 senators, you need to vote on it. But just because there’s a voting, doesn’t make it right,” Cayetano said.

Asked if this “constitutional mandate” can be overturned by a simple majority vote, Cayetano said “hindi dapat” (that should not be).

‘Act or we camp out’

Also on Tuesday, progressive groups from Bayan, Gabriela, and Kilusang Mayo Uno, trooped to the Senate to rally and appeal for the conviction of the impeached vice president. 

Bayan Secretary General Mong Palatino said they are willing to hold vigils in front of the Senate if senators fail to act on the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

Sisingilin natin itong Senado, dahil sa halip na pakinggan ang boses ng mamamayan, sa halip na ipakita ang ebidensya tunkol sa corruption, mas pinili nitong pagtakpan, protektahan ang mga magnanakaw, ang mga mandarambong (We will make the Senate accountable, because instead of listening to the people, instead of showing the evidence of corruption, it chose to conceal, protect thieves, corrupt officials),” Palatino said.

“Anong aral ang tinuturo nito sa ating taombayan? Na pwedeng magnakaw, pwedeng magtago ng confidential funds, pwede ang unexplained wealth, pwede ang betrayal of public trust. basta merong negosasyon na magaganap, sa pagitan ng mga nakaupo sa kapangyarihan (What does this teach our people? That it’s okay to steal? It’s okay to have unexplained wealth? That betrayal of public trust is acceptable as long as there’s negotiation between those who are in power)?” he pointed out.

“Yan ang hindi po natin papayagan (That’s something we will not allow),” he said.