Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday said his decision to nominate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court was intended to ensure that both the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Senate’s legislative responsibilities receive full and focused attention.
In a statement following Escudero’s election, Gatchalian said he deliberately proposed the arrangement after considering the Senate’s extensive workload in the coming months.
"I raised with my colleagues the idea of electing Senator Escudero to preside over the impeachment court, and I’m glad the body acted on it. This was a deliberate suggestion on my part,” Gatchalian said.
He explained that the impeachment proceedings and the Senate’s constitutional duties each require dedicated leadership and should not compete for the same time and attention.
“Looking at everything before this Senate in the coming months, I felt strongly that the impeachment trial and our other constitutional duties each deserved a leader’s full, undivided attention, not one competing with the other for the same hours in the day,” he added.
Gatchalian clarified that while Escudero will oversee the day-to-day conduct of the impeachment trial, he will continue to exercise overall supervision as Senate president.
“Senator Escudero will preside over the day-to-day conduct of the trial. As Senate President, I retain full supervision over the impeachment court and will stay closely engaged throughout to ensure the proceedings are conducted fairly, in accordance with the Constitution, our Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, and the highest standards of due process,” he said.
The Senate chief also said the arrangement would allow him to focus on other major responsibilities, including priority Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) measures, deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget, and Senate inquiries into pressing national issues such as the flood control controversy and school-related violence.
Gatchalian stressed that the leadership setup does not diminish the importance of the impeachment trial but instead reflects the Senate’s commitment to carrying out all of its constitutional responsibilities effectively.
“Nais kong tiyakin sa taumbayan na hindi ito nangangahulugan na binabalewala natin ang bigat ng paglilitis na ito. Sa katunayan, ipinapakita nito ang ating determinasyon na bigyan ng buong pansin, kapwa ang paglilitis at ang ibang tungkuling nakaatang sa Senado,” he said.
He added that the Senate remains equally focused on addressing issues affecting Filipinos, including rising fuel prices, inflation, and economic uncertainty.
“Ang Senadong ito ay nakatuon at handang magtrabaho, para sa katarungan, para sa kaunlaran, at para sa kinabukasan ng bawat Pilipino,” Gatchalian said.
