Girl, we’ve been waiting for you since day one!

Jahreez Octaviano and Lirhain Rondolero

As if following her father’s footsteps, who was also absent at his own international trial, Vice President Sara Duterte was nowhere to be found at her impeachment trial.

 She has also been consistently missing public hearings throughout her controversy:

• House deliberations on her office’s 2026 budget
• House Appropriations Committee’s hearing for her 2025 budget request
• House Committee on Justice clarificatory hearings on her allegations

Regardless, her trial commenced as the first official to have been impeached twice by the lower chamber. Alongside the opening of the trial, multiple key procedural listings were still being settled.

And on the first day, everything happened all at once.

Marcoleta’s arrest

Before the trial even began, one of the major political developments had already unfolded. In the morning, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta surrendered over his P75M plunder case involving campaign donations in 2025.

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) previously fought to have Marcoleta’s case revoked, as they believe that the senator is innocent.

“The Iglesia ni Cristo supports what Senator Marcoleta stands for because it is also our position. We call for transparency, accountability, justice, and peace. Even if they imprison Senator Marcoleta, we will not stop demanding justice for our fellow Filipinos who have been robbed,” INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala said.

But the Sandiganbayan did not budge as it issued its warrant for Marcoleta and his co-accused. By the time the Senate convened as an impeachment court, the 24-member Senate was already reduced to three as Marcoleta, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa were absent.

Yet during the trial itself, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano recommended allowing Sen. Marcoleta and Estrada to attend as senator judges. After all, should the two not attend, their vote will allegedly be equal to an acquittal. Attendance is possible, but only if the Senate reaches out to the Sandiganbayan to permit the senators who are facing plunder.

Still, even with only a 21-member chamber, the conviction threshold stands at 16. But as the following are likely to vote to acquit the VP:

• Sen. Bong Go
• Sen. Robin Padilla
• Sen. Sen. Imee Marcos
• Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano
• Sen. Pia Cayetano

Sen. Marcoleta’s and Sen. Estrada’s acquittals will equate to 7 votes of acquittal for Duterte. Should this happen, the result of the conviction depends on Sen. Loren Legarda’s and the Villars’ votes.

He who presides

With the remaining senators, the trial began with the discussion and election of the presiding officer. The presiding officer handles the rhythm of the impeachment trial. In accordance with Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, the Senate has the power to try and decide all cases of impeachment except for the president’s, which is handled by the Supreme Court.

Senator Cayetano’s grievance regarding why the Senate shall elect a presiding officer is misdirected because no part of the law says it should be the Senate president, which means a possible selection could happen again and would affect the flow of the trial. In the first session, Senate President Win Gatchalian was replaced by Sen. Chiz Escudero as the presiding officer after being voted out by twelve senators.

However, on a closer look, both Sen. Gatchalian and Sen. Escudero have ties to the Dutertes:

Gatchalian:

• paid 12.827 million worth of political advertisements for Duterte (2022 elections)
• considered as a running mate back in 2021.

Escudero:

• endorsed by Duterte in 2022 despite not being part of the Marcos-Duterte slate.

Yet now, both of them are part of the majority block, meaning the trial is now led not by outspoken allies of the accused but by those who are neutral.

Unopened box & escaping ambush

But the rules for the presiding officer are not the only ones that were changed. Previously, VPSD’s defense team refused to open the Bureau of Internal Revenue box containing Duterte’s tax records. Now, the box will not be presented at all unless the court says so, as it wasn’t offered as evidence in the first place.

Yet this is not the first time that important evidence was not opened in trials. In former President Joseph Estrada’s impeachment trial, the infamous ‘second envelope’ was also not opened after the majority of the impeachment court voted “no.” As a result, the people revolted, and EDSA Dos was born.

Though one ruling was down, another followed. The Senate also agreed to the 5-day witness disclosure, where the defense must be notified at least five days before a witness is presented. This prevents ambushes where one side can suddenly present a new witness with no proper cross-examination.

Information finally accessible to Filipinos

Throughout the length of Duterte’s impeachment trial, all evidence would be made available to the public on the official website of the Senate. It will hold the following after the approval by the court:

• Pleadings
• Motions
• Memoranda
• Official journal of proceedings

With this, the trial is no longer for those who are inside the courtroom or sessions.

And that was just day one

In Duterte’s first day of impeachment trial, one development followed another. From Sen. Marcoleta’s arrest to agreeing to a witness rule to prevent ambush, the impeachment court wasted no time setting the pace. Even though there had been a debate about the constitutionality of the presiding officer election up to the opening statement of the two sides of the trial.

For the next few months, the country will be watching every move inside the impeachment court, whether Duterte attends or not. It has been just the first session, with two more to come. Filipinos expect everything to go smoothly and with no segues if needed.

And with only day one done, Duterte’s fate is only just getting started.