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Neil Jayson Servallos - The Philippine Star
May 21, 2026 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has until June 1 to formally answer her impeachment case, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano announced yesterday, as her camp confirmed receiving the Senate summons.
During the plenary session, Cayetano said the newly convened impeachment court officially served the documents to the Vice President earlier in the day and a copy was furnished to the House prosecution panel.
“I respectfully inform the body that today, 20 May 2026, the summons in relation to the Articles of Impeachment filed against VP Sara Duterte was duly served upon respondent Vice President Sara Z. Duterte,” Cayetano said.
“The Office of the Vice President confirms receipt of the summons issued by the impeachment court at approximately 10:40 a.m. today, 20 May 2026,” the OVP said in a statement.
Under the rules of the impeachment court, the respondent is given 10 calendar days from receipt of the summons to file her official defense.
Cayetano explained that while the exact 10th day falls on a weekend, parliamentary procedures allow the deadline to be adjustws.
“Under the applicable rules, respondent is given 10 calendar days from service of summons within which to file her answer and counting 10 calendar days from 20 May 2026. The last day would ordinarily fall on a Saturday, 30 May 2026,” Cayetano explained.
“However, since the last day falls on a Saturday the period shall not run until the next working day. Accordingly, the deadline for the respondent to file her answer is on Monday, 01 June 2026,” he added.
Once Duterte’s camp submits her answer, the House of Representatives’ prosecution panel will be given a five-day window to submit a counter-argument before the chamber sets the date for a pre-trial.
“Furthermore, upon the prosecution panel’s receipt of the respondent’s answer, the prosecution shall have five calendar days from receipt within which to reply if they opt to do so,” Cayetano noted.
“The deadline for the replies shall be computed from the day the prosecution actually receives the answer,” he added.
With the countdown to the historic trial officially ticking, Cayetano urged his colleagues to immediately finalize the court’s calendar so they can effectively balance their judicial duties with the passage of pending bills.
“I say this because we have to discuss the impeachment calendar and the staff is ready to brief us,” he said, addressing his colleagues.
“And if we can give this priority because we have to discuss it vis-a-vis the legislative calendar, vis-a-vis the committee hearings and the session,” he added.
Cayetano earlier said pleadings and annexes may be submitted via email to streamline procedures.
Start trial forthwith
In the absence of any freeze order from the judiciary, the Senate should not just start convening as an Impeachment Court but start forthwith its trial of Duterte, said prosecution spokesman Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.
“I’m not going to preempt what would be the decision of the Supreme Court, but the ball has already rolled in the course of the events,” Adiong said.
The senior administration lawmaker said all the requirements for the impeachment trial to proceed have already been complied with.
“So, the whole country is actually looking at how the Senate will act insofar as proceeding with the actual trial is concerned. The whole country is watching. Remember, the people have been invested so much, both sides, the supporters of the VP and those who are holding her to account,” Adiong said.
“So it’s a litmus test right now, at this point in time, for all of us to rise above partisanship, to be at least a statesman because the Senate is the last bastion of democracy, isn’t it? That’s what they have been saying, that it’s made up of statesmen,” he pointed out.
He stressed that the Senate should proceed as soon as possible because the responsibility of deciding on the case rests with the institution and not just with individual senators. – Bella Cariaso, Delon Porcalla
