Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday, June 8 asserted he is the legal Senate President and therefore, will be the presiding officer in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. 

Cayetano, in a hastily called press briefing, said he has to assert his standing as the Senate impeachment court’s presiding officer since it is clear that the bloc led by Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian lack the numbers to effect changes in the impeachment rules. 

“As soon as they have 13, walang problema, sila na (there’s no problem, they can have it). But I have to assert kasi may pinaglalaban tayo (because we’re fighting for something here),” Cayetano told reporters during the briefing at the Senate. 

“Pinaglalaban ko hindi yung si Alan Cayetano as Senate president; pinaglalaban ko, ang Senado hindi pwedeng rubber stamp ng Malacañang. Hindi pupwedeng hindi independent yung Senate (I am not fighting that Alan Cayetano is the Senate president; what I’m fighting for is to ensure the Senate won’t be Malacañang’s rubber stamp. The Senate cannot not be independent),” he insisted.

“Hindi pwedeng yung may hearing ka kanina, yung bibig na bumubukas ay senador, pero yung lumalabas na salita galing sa malacanang (You can’t hold a hearing where the one speaking is a senator, but the words he is saying is coming from Malacañang),” he said. 

“They illegally amended the rules, they illegally held a session, so in due time, they’ll have to decide,” he stressed.

Cayetano said he had issued instructions to Senate secretary Jose Luis Montales to ensure that the impeachment trial calendar proceeds unimpeded.

In his letter dated June 7, 2026 to Montales, he urged the latter to initiate discussions with Atty, Renato Bantug, Jr. who was designated by Gatchalian’s bloc as the Senate Secretary, for possible interim administrative arrangements that would allow the Senate impeachment court to continue functioning without delay. 

Under the approved calendar, the impeachment court is scheduled to issue the Notice of Pre-Trial on Tuesday, June 9. This is supposed to signal the start of the pre-trial proceedings. 

“Pending resolution [by the Supreme Court], it is imperative that the resulting legal and political dispute not be allowed to unnecessarily disrupt the operations of the Senate, impair the work of the Impeachment Court, or diminish the institution’s ability to discharge its constitutional responsibilities,” he stressed. 

Earlier, Gatchalian said he will preside over the looming impeachment trial of the vice president since the Senate President Pro Tempore is also the Acting Senate President.

Gatchalian also said senator-judges would have to retake their oath under his leadership.