Escudero Elected Presiding Officer for Vice President's Impeachment Trial

Senator Chiz Escudero will preside over the historic impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte after a majority of senators elected him as presiding officer at the start of the trial on Monday, July 6. A total of 12 senators voted in favor of the motion of Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson to elect Escudero as impeachment presiding officer while 8 voted against it. Escudero replaced Senate President Win Gatchalian, who would have presided under the Senate’s previous impeachment rules. Weeks before the trial, however, the Senate amended its rules to allow a senator other than the Senate president to preside over the proceedings if there is a “majority vote of the members present.” Prior to Escudero’s election, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano, both lawyers, raised questions about the move. Alan questioned the Senate resolution amending its impeachment rules and warned that the whole process will become “null and void.” Gatchalian stood by the Senate resolution that allows the election of presiding officer other than the Senate president, while Senator Kiko Pangilinan, a lawyer, backed the legality of Escudero’s election by citing the Constitution. Pangilinan said the Constitution does not explicitly state that only the Senate president may preside over an impeachment trial, saying the issue should be interpreted based on the Constitution’s broader provisions and the Senate’s rules. Lacson earlier identified Escudero as the majority bloc’s choice for the role, citing his experience as a lawyer and also the fact that had prepared for the role as he was Senate president when the Vice President was impeached for the first time. Lacson had also said that Senator Kiko Pangilinan, also a lawyer, had been considered. In an interview with Storycon on June 30, Lacson said having a lawyer preside over the trial would help ensure the proceedings run “smoothly.” He added that a non-lawyer has limited knowledge of court rules and legal procedure. Before Escudero’s election, Tindig Pilipinas, a coalition of civil society groups, had expressed concern over the possibility of him serving as presiding officer. The coalition said its concerns stemmed from Escudero’s role during the initial stages of Duterte’s impeachment proceedings last year, when he was Senate president. It argued that his “twisted interpretation” of the Constitution’s directive to proceed “forthwith” with impeachment proceedings became the basis for delaying and deferring the process. On August 6, 2025, under Escudero’s leadership, the Senate voted to archive the articles of impeachment against Duterte, effectively ending the case. At least 19 senators, including Gatchalian and several members of what is now the Senate majority bloc, voted in favor of archiving the complaint. Escudero was part of the bloc that included several senators with close ties to the Duterte family. He, however, jumped to Gatchalian’s bloc on the last day of the regular session last June 3. During the 2022 elections, Duterte endorsed Escudero’s Senate bid despite his exclusion from the official Marcos-Duterte slate. While much of the criticism has centered on Escudero’s ties to the Duterte family, Gatchalian — who would have presided over the impeachment trial under the previous Senate rules — also has political ties to the Vice President.