The Senate’s credibility and integrity as an institution shouldn’t be marred by the different interpretation of the Constitution offered by some lawmakers regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian made the remark on Sunday, June 8, warning that calls to abolish the Senate may increase if the Senate fails to fulfill its constitutional mandate of convening into an impeachment court and commencing with the impeachment trial of the second top government official in the land. 

“When I was a congressman and when I was a first-time politician, there were many who were calling to abolish the Senate because they claim it is doubling the legislative work,”

“The calls may get louder if they perceive the Senate no longer wants to do its job,” Gatchalian said in a Radio DZBB interview. 

“We don't want to have credibility problems and we don't want to have integrity issues,” he pointed out. 

Gatchalian said he too believes that their constitutional mandate is clear when it comes to any impeachment proceeding, chiding colleagues who have a different view on the matter. 

“That is part of our constitutional mandate. That’s part of our job when we ran for senator. So that each senator should understand that,” he pointed out.

“When we run for senator and accept this job, that includes our legislative function, creating laws; that includes oversight functions, and that includes impeachment. Whether we like it or not, that’s part of our job,” he said. 

“We often hear that the Senate is the guardian of our democracy. We must uphold that because that is one of the most important jobs of the Senate, the impeachment proceedings,” added the lawmaker.

“I will repeat, not just for the President or Vice President, but for all constitutional bodies, that is one of the most important jobs of the Senate so that these high-ranking personalities are held accountable,” he said. 

Against this backdrop, progressive, democratic parties as well as religious groups, sectoral organizatioins and social movements would be holding a prayer vigil outside of the Senate groupds to press for the start of the impeachment trial against Duterte and for the senator-judges to convene immediately.

The ecumenical gathering and “forthwith” march will be held on June 9 (Monday) to June 11 (Wednesday), which is the date set by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero for the reading of the Articles of Impeachment that have been filed against the vice president. 

The said event would be led by Tindig Pilipinas, ML Partylist Representative Leila de Lima, Akbayan Party, Magdalo Party, Father Flavie Villanueva, SVD, Kiko Aquino Dee, Fr. Joel Saballa, representing the complainants of the third impeachment case, EveryWoman, August Twenty One Movement (ATOM), and leaders from SIKLAB, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, Kalipunan, the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), ASAP, Akbayan Youth, and others. 

In a separate interview on Radio DZBB, Sen. Francis Tolentino also said he also believes it is high-time the Senate acts on the “forthwith” clause in the Constitution and to start the impeachment trial immediately.

Unlike his colleagues, however, Tolentino insisted that the impeachment trial cannot go beyond the 19th Congress, dismissing Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ claims that the Constitution allows the impeachment case to cross over the 20th Congress. 

Tolentino also rejected that his stand is similar to the resolution drafted by Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa who called for the de facto dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Duterte due to lack of material time for the Senate. 

“The credibility of the Senate, Congress needs to be maintained. Respect for the Constitution needs to continue. The respondent's rights and mine, which are not subject to any interference, must also be respected because Congress ends on June 30,” Tolentino explained.

For his part, Tolentino believes there is still time for the impeachment trial to proceed as the 19th Congress ends on June 30, 2025.

“Impeachment is based on the Constitution and not based on individual opinion,” the outgoing senator pointed out.