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Bella Cariaso - The Philippine Star
May 13, 2026 | 12:00am
Sara Duterte.
Vice President Sara Duterte via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — Law deans and professors have decried what they see as senators’ “brazen attempts” to forestall Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Led by retired justice and San Beda University law professor Adolfo Azcuna, at least 17 law deans and professors lauded House lawmakers for impeaching Duterte for the second time, voting 257-25-9.
At the Senate, a sudden leadership shakeup led to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano emerging as the new Senate President, unseating Sen. Vicente Sotto III on Monday with a 13-9 vote.
“We decry the brazen attempts… first, by voting for a change of leadership on the eve of the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate and second, deciding to adopt the ‘Escudero definition’ of ‘forthwith’ which, at that unfortunate time, meant, ‘when it pleased the Senate president,’” Azcuna and others said yesterday.
Speculations rose that the coup was orchestrated to block the trial.
“Refusing to sit as a Court of Impeachment is not a constitutional option,” the academics said.
Dereliction of duty is administratively actionable and conferring an undue advantage and benefit on a person not entitled to it is an indictable criminal offense, they pointed out.
When at least one-third of the House of Representatives files an impeachment complaint, “trial ‘forthwith’ proceeds – the clear intendment of the Constitution being that ‘trial proceeds as a matter of course,’” they emphasized.
Law enforcers should cooperate with international legal processes “in case the state decides… Mr. Bato de la Rosa be made to stand trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague,” the deans and professors said.
Regardless of how many of them are sympathetic to the Vice President, senators have no choice but to schedule her trial, according to San Beda University Graduate School of Law Dean Ranhilio Callangan Aquino.
Triggering mandamus
Refusal to convene as an impeachment court could trigger the filing of a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court, Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said.
A mandamus compels a state official, tribunal or corporation to perform a specific mandated duty.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the statement of law deans and professors means the issue is “no longer a political discussion, but about fidelity to the Constitution, accountability in public office and preserving public trust in our institutions.”
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said Cayetano should be ashamed of himself for providing sanctuary to Dela Rosa.
‘Don’t evade duty’
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday asked the Senate to proceed with the trial.
Senators should not perform acts that might be perceived as evading their sworn duty or circumventing constitutional requirements, CBCP president Lipa Archbishop Gilbert Garcera said.
Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David is hoping there would no obstructions derailing the constitutional process from taking its course.
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of Negros Occidental has asked people to remain vigilant and monitor the trial. – Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan, Daphne Galvez, Emmanuel Tupas
