Sara Duterte impeachment trial: Chiz elected presiding officer

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was elected on Monday as presiding officer of the impeachment court that will try the case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

This is the second time Escudero will preside over Duterte’s impeachment trial.

As Senate president, Escudero led the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court in June 2025 to hear the first impeachment case against Duterte.

A month later, however, the Supreme Court ruled that the impeachment case initiated by the House of Representatives was unconstitutional.

This prompted the Senate to archive the impeachment case against Duterte in August last year.

READ: LIVE: VP Sara Duterte impeachment Day 1

Second impeachment

In accordance with the one-year ban on the filing of impeachment cases, fresh complaints were lodged in the House early this year against the vice president.

Duterte was then impeached anew by the House on May 11.

READ: Impeached anew: House OKs articles vs Sara Duterte again with 257 votes

In the Senate, the impeachment rules were amended by the chamber during the June 3 session attended by 12 senators, including Escudero.

Amended rules

The amended rules now allow other senators other than the Senate president to preside over other impeachment cases, except when the president of the Philippines is on trial.

In the case of the president of the Philippines, the trial would be presided over by the chief justice of the Supreme Court.

READ: Senate impeachment trial to decide VP Sara Duterte’s political future

READ: Senate archives impeachment case against VP Sara Duterte

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