Rains disrupt impeachment trial, Senate, House sessions

MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the Senate regular session were canceled yesterday due to inclement weather and flooding caused by Tropical Storm Maymay and the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Senate secretary Renato Bantug Jr. issued Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian’s work-from-home advisory yesterday following Malacañang’s Memorandum Circular 123 allowing remote work setup in government offices due to continuous rains.

“The impeachment trial and plenary session of the Senate today are cancelled and shall resume tomorrow, Tuesday, 11 August 2026,” the advisory added.

The cancellation came after the House prosecution panel assailed Duterte’s remarks implying that the impeachment trial against her is like “bending the law.” ?

“If a litigant attacks the integrity of the court, that actually constitutes not just violation of the sub-judice rule, but even an act that’s considered as a contempt of court or contemptuous,” Benjamin Tolosa Jr., counsel for the prosecution, warned.

It was in reaction to Duterte saying, “There’s no need to disturb the impeachment (trial) because it’s already a mess for bending the law.”

The prosecution said that while litigants can criticize the courts, one thing they cannot do is attack its integrity.

Tolosa said the Vice President’s verbal attack on the impeachment court is dangerous, especially in a case of this magnitude.

“This is because this may destroy the people’s confidence in the proceedings. It could cause prejudgment. People might think the court is inclined to ignore the law,” he said.

Tolosa added that the prosecution will leave it up to the discretion of the impeachment court on how to respond to these attacks by the Vice President since they have the authority and power to take action – if necessary.

Tolosa said pronouncements coming from a very high official are bothersome. — Delon Porcalla

• Latest
• Trending