VP Sara Duterte's Impeachment Trial May Begin August 4 — Villanueva
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Villanueva said both chambers of Congress are expected to spend the first week after SONA organizing themselves before the Senate impeachment court formally convenes.
'It looks like we're going to wait for one week to organize ourselves… then we can convene the impeachment court,' Villanueva explained.
He also defended the Senate's earlier move to return the articles of impeachment to the House without dismissing them, emphasizing that such moves typically precede long debates on jurisdiction.
Villanueva added that he hopes the Supreme Court would soon resolve pending petitions regarding the constitutionality of the complaint filed against Duterte, so the trial can proceed smoothly.
The Office of the Vice President, through spokesperson Ruth Castelo, reiterated that Duterte is prepared for the trial.
'She's eager to present her case in the impeachment court so that all doubts cast on her will go away,' Castelo said.
However, Castelo also pointed out that if the Supreme Court dismisses the complaint, it could save the government millions in public funds.
The Vice President is accused of betrayal of public trust, graft, and culpable violation of the Constitution over the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds and alleged threats to kill President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
12 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Supreme Court voids impeachment case vs VP Sara, cites one-year bar
The Supreme Court has declared the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional, citing the one-year prohibition on filing successive impeachment cases. In its ruling, the High Court emphasized that the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the case due to the procedural safeguard enshrined in the Constitution. 'Therefore, the Senate did not acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment complaint,' SC spokesperson Camille Ting announced in a press briefing. Ting clarified, however, that the decision does not amount to clearing the vice president of all allegations. She explained that the ruling is limited to procedural grounds and does not delve into the merits of the accusations raised in the dismissed complaint. According to the Court's decision, a fresh impeachment case against Duterte may be filed once the one-year period lapses, specifically starting February 6, 2026.
Filipino Times
15 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Lawmakers urge simplicity in SONA amid flood crisis
As severe flooding continues to affect thousands of Filipinos, lawmakers are urging for a simpler and more modest conduct of this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA). House Speaker Martin Romualdez has called for a no-frills SONA on July 28, urging organizers to forego the usual red carpet fanfare out of respect for Filipinos affected by recent storms and monsoon rains. 'Many of our fellow Filipinos are struggling to get back on their feet. It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,' Romualdez said. He added that while formal protocols will remain, ceremonial aspects such as fashion coverage and extravagant staging should be set aside. 'I have requested the Office of the Secretary General, if possible, to retain formal protocols but forego red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage, and ceremonial staging. We will still observe decorum and tradition, but without the spectacle. The red carpet will be used for its functional purpose—not as a platform for display,' he explained. Romualdez noted that lawmakers may still entertain media interviews as they enter the venue, in keeping with tradition. The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress is set to open earlier in the day, before the President delivers his address at 4 p.m. on Sunday. In the Senate, Sentor Juan Miguel 'Migz' Zubiri said the usual pomp must be toned down, or even dropped completely, as many Filipinos remain affected by floods across the country. ''Wag tayong maging kapal mukha o manhid sa pangyayari sa ating mga kababayan. Tigilan na muna ang red carpet fashionista walk na may dyamante pa. Ang dapat natin intindihin ay 'yung mga naglalakad sa baha at exposed sa leptospirosis,' Zubiri said. Senator Loren Legarda echoed the sentiment, urging the government to focus on real issues and reflect the current situation in the country. 'Our people are suffering from the floods. We must use the occasion to address problems and be part of the solution. We should not be out of touch with the real state of the nation,' Legarda said.
Filipino Times
17 hours ago
- Filipino Times
PNP Chief Torre Slams Tokhang as a Flawed Strategy, Distances PNP from Duterte's Drug War
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III openly criticized the Duterte administration's controversial anti-drug campaign, Oplan Tokhang, calling its fundamental concept flawed. Speaking at a PNP Press Corps event in Camp Crame, Torre questioned the logic behind the method, which involved knocking on suspected drug offenders' doors and pleading with them to stop illegal activities, often without concrete evidence. Torre emphasized the lack of legal grounding in the approach, pointing out that engaging suspects without solid proof undermines due process. 'Tokhang' is derived from the Cebuano words 'toktok' (knock) and 'hangyo' (plead), but the campaign has become globally controversial for its alleged links to widespread extrajudicial killings. Human rights groups estimate the death toll of Duterte's drug war to be between 12,000 and 30,000, mostly from impoverished communities. Torre also condemned efforts to minimize these numbers, particularly criticisms that the case against Duterte was weak because only 43 deaths were mentioned in the ICC arrest warrant. Calling such claims 'fake news in its cruelest form,' Torre said this kind of misinformation disrespects the families of thousands of victims. Without naming him, Torre rebuked Sen. Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa, the first PNP chief under Duterte and a key figure in the drug war, who once dismissed a child's death during a drug raid with the remark, 'shit happens.' General Torre, who oversaw the execution of Duterte's ICC arrest warrant in March, has consistently tried to separate the current PNP leadership from the legacy of the bloody anti-drug campaign. Now that Duterte is detained at the ICC in The Hague and awaiting his confirmation of charges hearing in September, Torre has reiterated the police force's new direction—focusing on lawful arrests, not incentivized violence. He clarified that while performance-based arrest quotas have returned under his leadership, these are rooted strictly in legal procedure, not the controversial methods of the past.
