SENATE President Vicente Sotto III is stepping up preparations for a possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, underscoring the Senate’s readiness to serve as an impeachment court once corresponding complaints are formally transmitted to the chamber.
Sotto confirmed this week that he has been undergoing briefings from senior legal experts, including two justices of the Court of Appeals and one from the Court of Tax Appeals, to deepen his grasp of court procedures and the rules of evidence ahead of any potential impeachment proceedings.
The sessions, he said, are aimed at equipping him for the demanding role of presiding officer should the Senate be called to sit as an impeachment court.
“As a senator, you must be aware of what is acceptable in the rules of evidence,” Sotto said, noting that these legal frameworks will shape how trial proceedings are managed if they reach the upper chamber.
While he stopped short of outlining a timetable for trial, the Senate leader said it is part of the Senate’s institutional duties to be prepared for impeachment cases.
The backdrop for these preparations is a fresh set of impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Duterte, which were transmitted to the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives last week.
Originating from civil society groups and other complainants, the filings allege a range of breaches, including betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, graft and corruption, bribery, and other high crimes.
In the House of Representatives, the complaints are expected to be referred to the Committee on Justice, which will review and determine whether they have sufficient form and substance to proceed.
Lawmakers have signaled that they intend to tackle the complaints under procedures similar to those used in previous impeachment cases.
Sotto said the role of the presiding officer is procedural rather than judicial, emphasizing that ultimate decisions on evidentiary and legal issues rest with the impeachment court as a whole.
“You follow the procedures, and then when there is something controversial, you throw it to the body,” he said.
The Senate president, a longtime legislator and former entertainment industry figure, does not hold a law degree, a point critics have seized on before.
But Sotto has repeatedly brushed aside concerns, saying preparation and familiarity with legal processes are what matter most in ensuring fairness and adherence to constitutional safeguards.
Political observers note that impeachment in the Philippines remains a high-stakes and unpredictable process, shaped by constitutional timelines and procedural hurdles.
A previous impeachment complaint against Duterte was archived after the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional under the one-year ban on multiple complaints against the same official, but the recent refiling comes after that period ended earlier this year.
Should the House approve articles of impeachment and formally transmit them to the Senate, members of the chamber will be sworn in as judges of the impeachment court, a role that would thrust Sotto into the national spotlight as the potential presiding officer of one of the country’s most significant political trials in recent years.
Political realities
Former Senate president Franklin Drilon on Saturday said impeachment proceedings against top officials are driven as much by political realities as by legal arguments, stressing that alliances in Congress and Senate leadership will ultimately shape their outcome.
“Impeachment is political. You can’t say it’s only about whether there’s enough evidence or not,” Drilon said in an interview. “There are other factors that go into deciding.”
Commenting on the impeachment complaints filed against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Drilon expressed confidence that any recommendation made at the committee level would likely be sustained in the plenary, citing the president’s strong support base in Congress.
“The president has more allies. I do not doubt that when it reaches the plenary, the committee’s recommendation will be adopted,” he said.
On the impeachment complaints against Vice President Duterte, Drilon said the direction of the case would largely depend on Senate leadership, particularly who sits as Senate president when the complaint reaches the upper chamber.
“In my opinion, if Sen. Tito Sotto is Senate president when it reaches the Senate, the hearings will continue,” Drilon said.
He acknowledged that impeachment proceedings are closely intertwined with the political calculus leading to the 2028 elections, describing them as “one of the factors” influencing maneuvering within the Senate.
Drilon added that allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte would likely continue efforts to challenge or unseat Sotto.
“There’s nothing to do but watch out for attacks,” he said.
Reacting to remarks by Sen. Robinhood Padilla that suggested partisan leanings in impeachment debates, Drilon said the comments underscored the inherent difficulty of the process.
“That’s our problem. Impeachment is not only legal but political,” he said. “As long as someone is firmly aligned with one camp, that will influence their judgment.”
Despite the tensions, Drilon backed Sotto’s public position that impeachment complaints should not be dismissed outright.
“You can’t say there should be no trial,” he said. “If a complaint comes to the Senate, there should be a hearing immediately.”
Drilon’s remarks came as political alignments ahead of the 2028 national elections slowly take shape, though he cautioned that it remains too early for firm decisions.
He disclosed that he recently attended a lunch meeting with former vice president Leni Robredo, where they reflected on the difficulties faced by the opposition during the Duterte administration.
“We talked about what we went through during Duterte’s time,” Drilon said, describing the discussion as personal rather than strategic.
The meeting lasted about two hours, but Drilon said it did not include in-depth discussions on the 2028 elections.
“It’s hard to talk seriously about the 2028 elections at this point. In politics, one or two weeks is already a long time,” he said.
While acknowledging that names such as Sen. Bam Aquino, Sen. Risa Hontiveros, and Sen. Francis Pangilinan are frequently mentioned in connection with 2028, Drilon said no campaign plans or roles were discussed.
“Nothing was said about the campaign. It’s still a bit far away, so the conversation didn’t last long,” he said.
Still, Drilon stressed the need for long-term preparation, even as he warned against premature decisions.
“There must be preparation, but not premature decisions,” he said, adding that there are no fixed plans for regular opposition meetings. “We’ll just meet if we think we need to.”
Drilon also voiced support for a proposed Senate resolution condemning China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, reportedly authored by Pangilinan.
“The resolution is right, and I hope our colleagues will have the courage to pass it,” he said. “I am in favor of that.”
He said the Senate must assert itself as an institution and reflect the sentiments of Filipinos.
“As citizens, the Senate should show its strength and make it clear that we are right to condemn what China is doing,” Drilon said.
Impeachment lessons
A veteran of two historic impeachment trials, Drilon served as a senator-judge during the impeachments of former president Joseph Estrada and former chief justice Renato Corona.
He said these experiences will be detailed in his forthcoming memoir, "Being Frank."
“I am one of the few who served twice as a senator-judge,” he said. “Now that impeachment is being discussed again, there are many lessons I can share.”
Ultimately, Drilon said each senator must act according to their own judgment amid political pressure.
“Each senator is free to do what they think will help them,” he said, “but history will judge how they used that freedom.”