Incoming Senator Kiko Pangilinan Believes Senate Impeachment Court Must Go Through Process
KIKO PANGILINAN – The Senator-elect spoke on the responsibility of the Senate as an impeachment court amid the issue surrounding the looming trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The recent move of the Senate impeachment court over the impeachment of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte gathered different views and standpoints. Undeniably, there has been a debate on the job of the senators after forming as an impeachment court.
Countless people were surprised when the Senate, as an impeachment court, ruled to return the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the House of Representatives amid Senate Pres. Chiz Escudero clarifying that it is not a dismissal of the case. According to the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court, the move is an opportunity for the House prosecution panel to address questions.
Eighteen (18) senator judges voted to return Duterte’s impeachment to the House while only five (5) senator judges opposed to the motion. Here are those who voted in support and against the motion to remand the Articles of Impeachment:
YES
- Alan Peter Cayetano
- Pia Cayetano
- Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa
- JV Ejercito
- Chiz Escudero
- Jinggoy Estrada
- Bong Go
- Lito Lapid
- Loren Legarda
- Imee Marcos
- Robin Padilla
- Bong Revilla
- Francis Tolentino
- Raffy Tulfo
- Joel Villanueva
- Cynthia Villar
- Mark Villar
- Juan Miguel Zubiri
NO
- Koko Pimentel
- Risa Hontiveros
- Sherwin Gatchalian
- Grace Poe
- Nancy Binay
Now that the 19th Congress has adjourned, a new set of senators is expected to join the Senate impeachment court in the 20th Congress. One of them is senator-elect Kiko Pangilinan who ranked 5th in the official results of the 2025 Midterm Elections.
Based on a report on PhilStar, Senator-elect Kiko Pangilinan refrained from making a lot of comments on the impeachment case against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte but expressed his view about the job of the Senate as an impeachment court. He stressed that the decision will be based on the process which the Senate, as an impeachment court, must go through.
“Our job is to try and decide the case. If there is not enough evidence, acquittal. If there is enough evidence, conviction. We have to go through the process before we decide. In the meantime, as senator-elect, I will refrain from making comments until such time I assume office,” he said.
Based on the report, Senator-elect Kiko Pangilinan claimed that there are still no talks about the possibility of forming a three-person minority bloc in the Senate with deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros and senator-elect Bam Aquino.
Previously, House Speaker Martin Romualdez reacted to the Senate returning Duterte’s impeachment to the lower chamber. He described the move as “deeply concerning” and stressed that the House acted on the impeachment with no haste.
Former Senate Pres. Tito Sotto previously said he learned from the late former Sen. Miriam Santiago that senator judges should not make motions. According to him, senator judges should only ask questions for clarifications but refrain from introducing motions. He is also set to join the senators in the 20th Congress.