Sara impeachment: What happens to House prosecutors if trial is held in next Congress?
Credit to Author: Dominique Nicole Flores| Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2025 12:43:00 +0800
MANILA, Philippines — With the 2025 midterm elections approaching, what happens to the elected House prosecutors in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial if they lose reelection and the proceedings take place in the 20th Congress?
At a press conference on Thursday, February 6, Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez (1-Rider Partylist) said it will still depend on the rules the Senate will set once they convene as an impeachment court.
As one of the appointed prosecutors in the impeachment case, he explained that the Senate’s status as a continuing body, unlike the House of Representatives, is a key factor.
Senators serve six-year terms, while House members' terms are limited to three years. Because of this difference, Gutierrez said the House might nominate and appoint a new set of prosecutors in the next Congress.
“If ever we have a new composition in the 20th congress, then I think we would just elect a new set of prosecutors. [But] It does not stop the process,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Lorenz Defensor (Iloilo, 3rd District), one of the 11 elected prosecutors, raised the possibility of the current team serving as "private prosecutors," should the Senate's rules permit it.
“If the Senate’s rules on impeachment will provide that private prosecutors can participate in the impeachment trial, then maybe they can continue as private prosecutors,” he said.
READ: 11 lawmakers: House's prosecution team for VP impeachment
Next steps in Senate. Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said at a separate press conference on Thursday that the Senate will prepare for Vice President Duterte's impeachment trial once Congress reconvenes on June 2nd.
Congress is scheduled to adjourn on February 7 for the 2025 midterm elections, with the final plenary sessions held on Wednesday, February 5.
Just two months after the initial impeachment complaint was filed, a supermajority of 215 House members voted to impeach Vice President Duterte immediately prior to the break.
Only one-third of the 306-member legislative body was needed for an impeachment to happen.
Following the House plenary session, the articles of impeachment and the list of endorsing lawmakers were promptly transmitted to the Senate by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco after the plenary session.
However, these documents were not read or discussed during the Senate's own plenary session.
READ: Senate ends session without tackling VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment case
In limbo. Gutierrez affirmed that regardless of whether the Senate begins impeachment proceedings in March or June, the House prosecutors will be prepared.
“We will be prepared if ever the Senate does interpret that they could proceed with trial as early as March. We will be ready if they decide to continue after June 2, it will be even more,” he said.
However, Gutierrez said the division of labor, specifically the assignment of prosecutors to each article of impeachment — or the grounds for the impeachment — has not yet been discussed.
The impeachment secretariat is still being formed and no formal meeting with the appointed prosecutors has begun yet, the lawmakers said.
The fourth impeachment complaint was filed and endorsed by the 215 House lawmakers, with the first signatory being presidential son and Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, while the last signatory was House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
They accused Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes like bribery and murder.
For Duterte to be removed from office, the Senate will have to secure a two-thirds vote for a conviction.