Cayetano Asks Fellow Senator-Judges to Follow Escudero and Swear Off the Vice Presidency
ALAN PETER CAYETANO – Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, urged his fellow senator-judges to set aside personal political ambitions in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, asking them to commit that they would not accept the vice presidency if she is convicted.
Cayetano made the appeal after impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero declared that he would decline the post should Duterte be removed from office, according to The Manila Times and Philstar.com.
“Nobody had offered him the position. He could have kept quiet and left the possibility open. Instead, he gave people a reason to trust that his vote would not be influenced by the prospect of becoming Vice President,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“With so much doubt surrounding our politics, I think we need more of that,” he added.
Escudero, in his podcast, said accepting such a nomination after sitting in judgment would be improper. “I will not accept it because of a simple reason. Conflict of interest. We were the ones who decided. That does not seem right,” he said, as quoted by Philstar.com. He also noted that no offer has actually been made.
Cayetano said his invitation to other senators was meant to address concerns about impartiality and not to prejudge the result of the trial. “Everyone remains free to decide. I hope we can consider the concern behind the invitation before taking offense at being asked,” he said.
Not everyone in the chamber agreed with the timing. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said it was improper to discuss the outcome of the trial in advance, while Sen. JV Ejercito called talk about the vice presidency premature since the verdict remains uncertain, The Manila Times reported.
Cayetano admitted he once shared those reservations. “But when should we make clear that we will put personal interests aside? Must we wait until we have voted or someone offers us the position?” he asked. “Senator Chiz’s commitment does not presume a conviction. It assures the public that he will not accept the office his vote might help make vacant.”
Under the Constitution, the President may nominate a replacement for a vacant vice presidency from among members of the Senate or the House of Representatives, subject to confirmation by both chambers. A nominee is free to decline.
Escudero also cautioned senators against basing their verdict on surveys, saying the public has so far heard only the prosecution’s side. The prosecution has rested its case, and the defense is set to begin presenting its evidence on November 9. Escudero said the trial could possibly wrap up before the year ends.
The Senate has been dealing with several high-profile issues at the same time. Earlier, the chamber put on hold the suspensions of two senators, as reported in Estrada, Marcoleta Suspensions on Hold as Absentee Senators Go Without Pay. Authorities are also hunting for Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, as covered in Marcos Orders Lawful, Non-Violent Arrest of Sen. Bato dela Rosa.
Sources: The Manila Times, Philstar.com, ABS-CBN News