Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano has signed a formal letter acknowledging the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte and set May 18, 2026, for the Senate to convene as an Impeachment Court. SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES
MANILA (May 15) — After days of leadership upheaval, political maneuvering, and rising tensions inside the Senate, the impeachment case against Sara Duterte is finally moving forward.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday confirmed that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court on Monday, May 18, formally opening proceedings against the vice president.
In a letter to House Speaker Faustino Dy III, Cayetano acknowledged receipt of the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House late Wednesday night.
The impeachment court is set to convene at 3 p.m., with senators expected to take their oath as judges in what is shaping up to be one of the country’s most politically charged proceedings in recent years.
“Pursuant to Rule 1 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Rules, the Senate has taken proper order of the impeachment and shall immediately proceed to its consideration,” Cayetano said.
Duterte faces impeachment charges involving alleged misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
The impeachment process gained momentum after one of the Senate’s most chaotic weeks in recent memory.
The articles of impeachment arrived shortly after gunshots from an unknown source were reportedly heard near Senate premises, heightening already intense political tensions surrounding the chamber.
At the center of the standoff was Ronald dela Rosa, who had remained under Senate protection while facing an arrest warrant tied to the International Criminal Court investigation into the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The political drama deepened further when Cayetano emerged as Senate president earlier this week following a surprise leadership coup backed by Duterte allies.
Despite speculation that the Senate shake-up was designed to stall the impeachment proceedings, Cayetano denied any attempt to delay the trial.
“Having said that, we will follow the law. So walang magiging delays,” he said.
While the impeachment court formally convenes on May 18, the actual trial proper is expected later, possibly by July, depending on timelines set under Senate rules and constitutional procedures.
Cayetano said the Senate is preparing a trial calendar based strictly on procedural requirements.
“So kung nakalagay sa rules, ganitong number of days para sumagot . . . then trial na kaagad,” he said.
He added that hearings may run from Monday to Wednesday or Monday to Thursday, while reserving separate motion days for legal filings and procedural matters.
For political observers, the impeachment proceedings could become a defining battle that reshapes alliances inside the Senate and influences the country’s political landscape in the months ahead.
