More than 70 complainants from various youth organizations, multi-sectoral groups, and concerned citizens file an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte before the he House Secretary General at the House of Representatives on December 4, 2024. Three congressmen from the Makabayan bloc endorsed the complaint, citing betrayal of public trust as the ground for impeachment. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — If impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte was an uphill battle, her trial will be “up a mountain,” the national democratic Makabayan coalition said Thursday as it urged the Senate to convene as an impeachment court as soon as possible.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said earlier Thursday that the Senate cannot act on the complaint transmitted Wednesday night until it comes back from break in June.

“Alam namin na sa Senado, ito ay mas magiging very challenging kumpara doon sa mababang kapulungan," Makabayan president Liza Maza said at a press conference on Thursday.

(We know that it will be even more challenging at the Senate compared to the lower house)

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As it was, it took more than two months after an impeachment complaint was filed against Duterte before the House voted to impeach her through a fourth complaint filed by lawmakers themselves.

"This was an uphill battle for us. Pero mukhang bundok yung sa Senado, no? Kasi alam din naman natin ang influence pa ng mga Duterte doon," Maza, who represented Bayan Muna and Gabriela party-lists at the House, said.

(This was an uphill battle for us, but it seems we will go up a mountain at the Senate, right? Because we know the Dutertes still have influence there)

Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino has three seats at the Senate, where he enjoyed the support of a super majority while president.

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"Matagal na na-dribble pero at least sa huli, na-shoot din (It was dribbled for a long time but they finally took the shot),” Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raoul Manuel said at the same press conference as he urged the Senate to fulfill its constitutional duty now that the House has done its part.

'BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST' ALSO IN FOURTH COMPLAINT

Members of the Makabayan bloc — whom some of Vice President Duterte’s supporters, including social media personality Lorraine Badoy-Partosa, accuse of pulling the strings in the impeachment, endorsed a different complaint in December and had been working to gather support for that one.

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said the three-seat bloc signed the fresh complaint on Wednesday since it included betrayal of public trust, the ground used in the complaint they endorsed.

She added there was no coercion to sign at a members’ caucus held Wednesday morning.

"In fact, may mga dumalo nga doon na hindi naman nakapirma. Wala namang nagpilit sa kanila," Castro said.

(In fact, there were House members who attended the caucus but did not sign. Nobody forced them to)

Akbayan Party-List Rep. Perci Cendeña, who endorsed the first impeachment complaint filed in December, also signed the fourth complaint on Wednesday.

Castro added Makabayan is ready to assist in the impeachment trial and will suggest the inclusion of private prosecutors in the prosecution team, which is composed of House members who are lawyers.

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"Yun na nga si Atty. Neri Colmenares, pwede rin si Atty. Kaloi Zarate, na bilang representante doon… Atty. Krissy Conti, bilang kinatawan ng Makabayan doon as private prosecutor," she said.

(Lawyers Neri Colmenares, Kaloi Zarate and Krissy Conti could join as private prosecutors representing Makabayan)

The coalition will also put up an 'impeachment watch' group to help the public keep an eye on developments in the case, the first for a sitting vice president of the Philippines.

"Ang papel ng mamamayan dito ay bantayan ang impeachment trial. Bantayan, siguraduhin na hindi lulutuin ang trial. Sisiguraduhin na lalabas lahat ng katotohanan. Sisiguraduhin ng ating mga senator-judges ang magdi-desisyon based on the evidence, based on the merits of the case," Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chairperson Teddy Casiño said.

(The people's role here is to watch over the impeachment trial and to make sure it will be fair. They will make sure the truth will come out and that senator-judges will decide based on evidence and on the merits of the case)

The Senate's Rules on Impeachment Proceedings direct senator-judges to observe "political neutrality" during the proceedings, meaning they will have to try the case "without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference."