The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, gave Vice President Sara Duterte until June 1, 2026 to answer the charges that have been leveled against her even as it grapples with the shooting incident in the Senate last May 13, following a foiled attempt by authorities to arrest Sen. Ronald dela Rosa on the strength of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in the anti-drug campaign of his former boss, then president Rodrigo Duterte. At the same time, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called for restraint and prudence in discussing the shooting incident, saying the matter remains emotionally charged and sensitive not only for lawmakers but for the entire country. Speaking before the Senate plenary, Cayetano acknowledged the strong emotions surrounding the attack on the Senate and appealed to his colleagues to allow ongoing investigations to proceed before drawing conclusions. “This is an emotional issue, not only for us but for the whole country, given this is the Senate of the Philippines,” Cayetano said. “It’s a sensitive issue because there are words that have been used. That’s why I have tried to be deliberate.” The Senate President said multiple members of the majority bloc wanted to speak on the matter but urged lawmakers to defer lengthy interpellations to allow the body to address other pressing concerns, including preparations related to the impeachment proceedings. Cayetano informed the Senate that the summons had been served earlier in the day to Duterte and was asked to submit her reply, given 10 calendar days from receipt of the summons to file her answer. Since the original deadline fell on a Saturday, the final deadline was moved to Monday, June 1, 2026. He added that the prosecution panel would then have five calendar days from receipt of Duterte’s response to file a reply should they choose to do so. Cayetano emphasized the need to carefully balance the Senate’s impeachment responsibilities with its legislative work, committee hearings, and regular session schedule. “We have to discuss the impeachment calendar vis-a-vis the legislative calendar, committee hearings, and session,” he said. The Senate chief also appealed for cooperation among senators, warning that extended privilege speeches and interpellations on the shooting incident could stretch deliberations late into the night. Meanwhile, Sen. Pia Cayetano, sister of the Senate president, broke down dring the session after Sen. Risa Hontiveros remarked in a privilege speech that it was “as if nothing had happened,” referring to the May 13 melee. In her speech, Hontiveros lamented what she described as an apparent lack of accountability and urgency after the violent incident, saying it seemed that the institution, its employees, and even the Filipino people had been disregarded. Cayetano immediately rose to respond, strongly disputing the statement and insisting that the incident had deeply affected those who were present during the shooting. Fighting back tears, Cayetano recounted how terrified she was, saying she even called her children to say goodbye because she feared for her life. “It is painful to hear that it was as if nothing happened,” Cayetano said, noting that only two doors separated her from the area where the shooting took place.
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