00:01All persons are commanded to keep silent under pain of penalty while the Senate is sitting in trial on the
00:09articles of impeachment against Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte.
00:14The Clerk of Court will please call the roll.
00:17Roll call of members, the Honorable Senator Judges, Aquino, Cayetano Pia, De La Rosa, Ejercito, Escudero, Estrada, Gatchalian, Go, Ontiveros,
00:36Laxon, Lapid, Legarda, Marcoleta, Marcos, Padilla,
00:45Pangilinan, Soto III, Tulfo Irwin, Tulfo Rafi, Villanueva, Villar Camille, Villar Mark, Zubiri, the Senate President.
01:03With 23 Senator Judges present, the Chair declares the presence of a quorum.
01:11Senator Judge Villanueva.
01:13Yes, Mr. President, Mr. Presiding Officer, may we request Senator Judge Camille Villar to ascend the rostrum to administer the
01:25oath of the Senate President.
01:34We continue.
01:39Next slide.
02:04Please raise your right hand, impeachment trial of Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte.
02:10I, state your name, I, Alan Peter Compañero Shram Cayetano, solemnly swear, that in all things appertaining to the trial
02:21of the impeachment of Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte,
02:26that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte, now pending, I
02:36will do impartial justice according to the Constitution.
02:44I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution.
02:48And laws of the Philippines.
02:50And the laws of the Philippines.
02:51So help me God.
02:52So help me God.
03:01At this time, I will administer the oath of each of the senator judges in the chamber in conformity with
03:07Article 11, Section 3, Paragraph 6 of the Philippine Constitution,
03:12and Rule 3 of the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials.
03:20May we request everyone to rise.
03:26Same oath.
03:27Same oath.
03:38I, state your name.
03:39I, state your name, solemnly swear, that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Vice President
03:51Sarah Zimmerman Duterte,
03:57now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws of the Philippines.
04:06According to the Constitution and the laws of the Philippines.
04:10So help me God.
04:11So help me God.
04:18Senator Judge Villanueva.
04:19Thank you, Mr. President.
04:23Last Thursday, May 14, 2026, the House of Representatives, through Secretary General Celoy Garrafil,
04:32personally delivered to the Senate the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte,
04:41pursuant to Article 11, Section 3, Paragraph 3 of the Constitution,
04:46and Rule 4, Section 11 of the Rules of Procedure in the Impeachment Proceedings of the House of Representatives.
04:54Earlier today, the Articles of Impeachment were referred to the Committee on Rules
05:00and consequently to the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
05:05Mr. President, the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte
05:10with its annexes are now presented to the court for proper disposition and action.
05:17The same is duly noted and made of record.
05:26For the record, Resolution No. 39, or the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trial, shall continue to apply.
05:33We further note that Rule 6, thereof which provide that the provisions of the rules of the Senate
05:40and the revised rules of the court shall apply, suppletorily, whenever applicable.
05:48The court having been recognized, the court having been organized,
05:54and the Articles of Impeachment having been presented,
05:57let a writ of summons be issued to the Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte,
06:02who is directed to file her answer within a non-extendable period of 10 days from receipt,
06:08Pursuant to Article 7 of the Rules of Procedure of Impeachment Trial,
06:13she is directed to appear before the session hall of the Senate of the Philippines upon notice.
06:20The Sergeant of Arms is directed to serve the written summons on Vice President Sarah Duterte
06:26along with a copy of the Articles of Impeachment.
06:29The prosecution may file a reply within a non-extendable period of five days from receipt of the answer.
06:39The parties may file their pleadings and annexes in person or through electronic mail.
06:45All other pleadings, motions, similar papers intended for the consideration of this court may be filed electronically.
06:53We will circulate the specific instructions on the format for the pleadings and manner of electronic filing
07:00for the guidance of all parties.
07:06Mr. President.
07:07Senator Judge.
07:08Thank you, thank you.
07:10Mr. President, may we be clarified when you say 10 days, is that working days or calendar days?
07:17Calendar days.
07:18Calendar days, and including the five days for the prosecution to respond?
07:25Yes, Your Honor.
07:27The Clerk of Court is hereby authorized to calendar the case for pre-trial
07:35and issue the corresponding notices to the parties after the last pleading is filed.
07:42Upon conclusion of the pre-trial, the trial proper shall commence on a date and time fixed by the court,
07:49of which the parties shall be duly notified.
07:52I approached members of the minority of the Senate, and later on I will approach the senator judges,
08:00that we will fix the calendar together.
08:03And in pursuit of impartial justice, we will come up with an impeachment calendar that is fair to the prosecution
08:15and to the defense, and will allow us to continue to function in the legislative side of our work.
08:27Any other matter?
08:29No other matter?
08:31The session is suspended.
08:33Mr. President, with the permission of the body and pursuant to Rule 10, Section 13 of the Rules of the
08:40Senate,
08:41may I respectfully move to elect the chairpersons of the Senate Permanent Committees.
08:49If I may, Mr. President.
08:50Please proceed.
08:53Senator Loren Ligarda retained as chairperson of the Committee on Culture and Arts.
08:58So moved, Mr. President.
08:59If there is no objection, motion is approved.
09:02Senator Pia Cayetano retained as chairperson of the Committee on Ways and Means.
09:07So moved.
09:08There's no objection.
09:11Motion is approved.
09:13Senator Christopher Bongo, chairperson of the Committee on Health and Demography.
09:17Vice Senator Risa Ontiver.
09:19So moved, Mr. President.
09:21Is there any objection?
09:23Any objection?
09:24No objection.
09:25Motion is approved.
09:27Mr. President, Senator Joel Villanueva as chairperson of the Committee on Higher Technical and Vocational Education.
09:33Vice Senator Loren Ligarda.
09:35So moved, Mr. President.
09:36There's no objection.
09:37The motion is approved.
09:38Thank you very much, Senator Ligarda.
09:40Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, chairperson of the Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification, and Reconciliation.
09:48Vice Senator Loren Ligarda.
09:50So moved, Mr. President.
09:51Is there any objection?
09:53If none, the motion is approved.
09:55Senator Christopher Bongo, retained as chairperson of the Committee on Sports.
09:59So moved, Mr. President.
10:01Any objection?
10:02No objection.
10:03The motion is approved.
10:05Pang health na, pang sports pa.
10:08Senator Pia Cayetano, retained as chairperson of the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation, and Futures Thinking.
10:15So moved, Mr. President.
10:16If there is no objection, the motion is approved.
10:20Senator Loren Ligarda, chairperson of the Committee on Basic Education, Vice Senator Bam Aquino.
10:25So moved, Mr. President.
10:27Is there any objection?
10:29Hearing none, the motion is approved.
10:31Senator Dante Marcoleta, chairperson of the Committee on Public Services, Vice Senator Rafi Tulfo.
10:36So moved, Mr. President.
10:37Is there any objection?
10:39Hearing none, the motion is approved.
10:42Senator Robin Hood Padilla, retained as chairperson of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.
10:47So moved, Mr. President.
10:48Is there any objection?
10:50If none, the motion is approved.
10:53Senator Robin Hood Padilla, retained as chairperson of the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs.
10:58So moved, Mr. President.
10:59Is there any objection?
11:00Hearing none, the motion is approved.
11:02Senator Jingoy Ejercito Estrada, chairperson of the Committee on Games and Amusement, Vice Senator Irwin Tulfo.
11:08So moved, Mr. President.
11:10Is there any objection?
11:12Hearing none, the motion is approved.
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