4 days ago
2
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Senate President Pro Tempore Win Gatchalian maintains that no Blue Ribbon Committee hearing is scheduled today, June 4, 2026.
MANILA, Philippines — If the two warring camps in the Senate issue separate notices regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, the House prosecution panel will appear before acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said.
Luistro said the prosecution team cannot take a separate position from the House of Representatives, which had already recognized the new Senate leadership when the concurrent resolution to adjourn sine die was approved.
“With all due respect (to the former leadership), we need to follow the direction of the institution which we represent. The House of Representatives already recognized the leadership of acting SP Win Gatchalian,” she said in a radio interview yesterday.
The issue was raised amid the continuing Senate leadership dispute, with the prosecution panel facing the question of where to file pleadings and where to appear if two competing camps insist on exercising authority over the impeachment proceedings.
“In case of two notices for trial, we will be appearing before the leadership of acting SP Win Gatchalian,” Luistro said.
She explained that the House’s recognition of the new Senate leadership was not merely symbolic, because the House had acted on a concurrent resolution that was likewise approved by the leadership now headed by Senate president pro tempore Gatchalian.
She said the impeachment trial can proceed under the new Senate leadership unless the Supreme Court issues a temporary restraining order, adding that the panel remained focused on the trial schedule and the formal steps required of the House prosecutors, with the deadline for pretrial submissions and the pretrial conference fast approaching.
Luistro also said she will support calls for a special session if it would help restore order, address pending matters and keep the impeachment process moving despite the Senate leadership dispute.
However, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has insisted that it should be him who should preside over the upcoming impeachment trial of Duterte, and not the “acting Senate president.”
In a lengthy press briefing after Thursday’s “Blue Ribbon” hearing on the “18 ex-Marines,” Cayetano also revealed that the “Solid Bloc” new majority had offered to let him preside over the session in exchange for stepping down as Senate president.
“By the way, they offered that to me: I step down as Senate president, then I would preside, but I rejected it,” Cayetano said.
Pangilinan’s office declined to comment on Cayetano’s claim.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III denied Cayetano’s claim that they had offered him the presiding officer’s post.
When The STAR sought Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s comment, he replied: “He is pathetic. I do not know why he has been acting weird lately.”
Lacson advised Cayetano to listen to legal experts that the Solid Bloc’s takeover with 12 members is valid.
