Senator Erwin Tulfo said on Sunday, May 10 that he believes any effort to stage a Senate coup to perpetuate a possible new leader in the Upper Chamber to block the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte would be counterproductive.

Senator Erwin Tulfo (Senate PRIB photo)

“That’s very hard…magiging halatang-halata sila pag nagkaroon ng man (ng kudeta), or yung grupo na magi-initiate ng kudeta, halatang-halata (It would be so obvious should there be a coup, or the group that will initiate the coup, they would be so obvious).” Said Tulfo in an interview over Radio DZBB.

“How will they explain to the public? Kaya nag coup para di matuloy ang ika nga impeachment (The reason they staged a coup so the impeachment won’t proceed)? That because of the impeachment, kelangan palitan ang leadership (you need to change the leadership)?” he pointed out.

Tulfo insisted that such a move won’t be beneficial especially to those opposed to the impeachment proceedings.

“It’s not the answer. It’s going to also be a question. Because those who are anti- or even the ordinary citizens will also ask? Why? Why did they stage a Senate coup? A question can’t be answered by another question,” the senator added.

“So that’s a big question. I don’t know kung saan sila kukuha ng lakas ng loob kung gagawin nila yun (I don’t know where they will get the courage to do that),” he said.

“I really think it’s better if we proceed to the trial. Di ba sabi nila (As they said) you’ll have a day  in court. So whoever it is, even if it’s the Vice President, she’ll have a day in court to explain,” Tulfo reiterated.

He also said that preferential surveys are also showing the public’s preference for the impeachment trial of the Vice President to push through.

“The surveys show, the people are waiting…They also want to hear everything,” he said.

“I was talking to a lot of people…They also want this over and done with. So that if she’s not guilty, then it’s over. The people too want to have an (impeachment) trial,” he said.

Earlier, the Senate minority bloc led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, reportedly revived efforts to oust Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III in an attempt to block the impeachment trial of the vice president.

The push to secure 13 votes to unseat Sotto was allegedly hampered by the continued absence of Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who has not been attending the Senate sessions since November 2025.

The minority bloc is composed of Cayetano, Dela Rosa, Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Christopher “Bong” Go, Imee Marcos, Rodante Marcoleta, Robin Padilla and Joel Villanueva.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, for his part, said he believes the impeachment trial should not be a “matter of choice or a change in leadership.”

“It’s a responsibility of the Senate, you cannot sit on a case for a long time, precisely because it is written. The Constitution is very clear that we need to try forthwith, and there’s no other leeway. And this is part of the process and accountability mechanism of the Constitution,” Gatchalian said in a separate interview on Radio DZBB.

Nevertheless, Gatchalian said he believes that Senate President Sotto remains “on stable ground” despite allegations of Senate coup.

“Personally, I think SP is on stable ground because he is showing the right leadership here especailly in times like these,” the senator said.