Senate President Francis Escudero on Thursday deferred the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte from June 2 to June 11, 2025, citing the need to pass priority bills before Congress adjourns.
“With only six session days before the sine die adjournment, it is imperative for the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of these measures, consistent also with the administration’s thrust to align our government with the people’s needs and expectations,” Escudero explained.
The presentation of the impeachment articles is required before the Senate can formally convene as an impeachment court.
Once completed, the Senate can begin the impeachment hearings against the Vice President, Escudero said.
In a letter to Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Escudero outlined the rationale for the delay and shared a copy with the Office of the Vice President.
The letter emphasized that at least 12 legislative priorities remain pending, all of which were agreed upon by congressional leaders and President Marcos.
Escudero said these measures were discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting held Thursday.
Among the priority bills are amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act and the E-Governance Act.
Also included are the Open Access in Data Transmission Act, known as the Konektadong Pinoy Act, and the Rationalization of the Fiscal Mining Regime.
Other measures involved amendments to the Universal Health Care Act and the establishment of the Virology Institute of the Philippines.
The list also covered the Government Optimization Act and changes to the Right-of-Way Act.
The lawmakers are also pushing to define the term of office for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials.
Judicial fiscal autonomy, a tax on denatured alcohol, and the Anti-POGO Act round out the priority list.
Aside from legislation, Escudero said the Senate must also confirm over 200 presidential appointments.
The ad interim appointees consisted of three Cabinet secretaries, four officials from constitutional commissions, 39 foreign service officers, and 277 Armed Forces of the Philippines senior officers.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Escudero moves presentation of impeachment articles to June 11”
