The Senate’s Shame: Escudero’s Gambit to Bury Duterte’s Trial

By Louis ‘Barok’ C Biraogo — June 3, 2025

IN Manila’s seething political coliseum, the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is less a quest for justice than a brutal cage match between the Marcos and Duterte dynasties. Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s calculated delays—pushing the trial to June 11, 2025, the dying breath of the 19th Congress—cast a dark shadow over the Philippines’ democracy. This isn’t just procedural foot-dragging; it’s a high-stakes gambit to shield Duterte, preserve Senate alliances, and tilt the board toward the 2028 elections. As an SWS poll reveals 88% of Filipinos demand a swift trial, Escudero’s maneuvers risk turning constitutional duty into a dynastic reality show, threatening a democracy already teetering on the edge.

1. Clash of Titans: The Marcos-Duterte Power Struggle

The impeachment of Sara Duterte, scion of the Duterte dynasty, is the latest salvo in a bitter feud with the Marcos clan. Once united under the 2022 “UniTeam,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte now clash over foreign policy—Marcos’ pro-U.S. tilt versus the Dutertes’ China-friendly stance—and personal vendettas. The 2025 midterm elections, held May 12, reshaped the Senate, with Duterte-backed candidates like Senators Bong Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa securing strong wins, signaling their enduring clout. The March 2025 ICC arrest of Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity further inflamed their base, particularly in Mindanao, framing Sara’s trial as a Marcos-orchestrated vendetta.

Escudero’s decision to delay the trial to June 11, the final session day, has sparked outrage. Critics like Atty. Howard Calleja argue this violates the Constitution’s mandate to act “forthwith,” accusing Escudero of shielding Duterte to secure her bloc’s support and his Senate presidency. Calleja warns that such delays could embolden external actors like China, exploiting the Dutertes’ geopolitical leanings. This isn’t governance—it’s a dynastic chess match where the Senate’s integrity is the first casualty.

2. Battle Lines Drawn: Escudero’s Strategy Under Fire

For Escudero’s Play: A Masterclass in Political Survival

Senate Unity: Escudero’s delays aim to hold a fractured Senate together. With only 24 senators, securing the 16 votes to convict Duterte is unlikely, given at least 10 senators—PDP-Laban’s Go, dela Rosa, and Padilla, plus Imee Marcos and the Villars—lean toward acquittal or delay. A divisive trial could shatter his coalition, destabilizing the Senate ahead of 2028.
Procedural Shield: Escudero insists Senate rules require the House to formally present impeachment articles in plenary, citing precedents like the Gutierrez and Corona trials. He argues no trial can start during a congressional break, framing his stance as a defense of due process.

Against Escudero’s Play: A Betrayal of Duty

Constitutional Defiance: Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel blasts Escudero’s delays as a violation of the Constitution’s “forthwith” mandate, citing Senate Rule VII. By adjourning without action, Escudero risks setting a precedent that cripples impeachment as a check on power.
Impunity’s Triumph: The allegations against Duterte—misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, death threats, and ties to extrajudicial killings—are grave. Delaying the trial undermines the 88% public demand for accountability, signaling that elites can evade scrutiny.

3. Sara’s Defiance: Gladiator or Despot?

Sara Duterte’s response is pure fire and brimstone, vowing a “bloodbath” in the Senate and framing the trial as “political persecution” by Marcos allies like House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Her rhetoric, later softened as metaphorical, paints her as a gladiator facing a rigged coliseum. Critics like Leila de Lima condemn her words as reckless, risking institutional credibility. While her defiance rallies loyalists, it alienates moderates wary of her unapologetic stance.

The allegations are weighty but contentious:

Confidential Funds Scandal: Accusations of misusing ₱612.5 million cite “ghost expenses” and irregular disbursements. Duterte’s refusal to disclose details, claiming executive privilege, fuels suspicions of graft.
Death Threats: Her November 2024 claim of hiring an assassin against Marcos, his wife, and Romualdez—later framed as a security concern—prompted an NBI subpoena. Prosecutors call it incitement, but proving intent is shaky.
Extrajudicial Killings: Links to the Davao Death Squad, alleged by Arturo Lascanas, tie her to her father’s drug war. These claims, while explosive, lack direct evidence from her vice-presidential tenure, complicating impeachment.

4. Senate’s Fractured Arena: Loyalty or Transaction?

The Senate is a battleground of allegiances:

Duterte’s Loyalists: PDP-Laban senators (Go, dela Rosa, Padilla) and Imee Marcos, who vowed to “fight to the end,” form a solid pro-Duterte bloc. The Villars (Cynthia, outgoing; Mark, senator-elect) align due to family ties, with Sara campaigning for Camille Villar’s Senate bid.
Fence-Sitters: Gatchalian and Ejercito push for delay, citing legislative priorities or divisiveness, while Villanueva and Estrada reportedly lean toward shelving, suggesting transactional motives tied to 2028 ambitions.
Critics: De Lima, now a House prosecutor, and Pimentel demand swift action, but their minority status limits sway without public pressure.

Escudero’s coalition reeks of transactional politics. His reliance on the Villars’ business-driven loyalty and Duterte’s bloc suggests a Senate presidency built on deals, not principles, especially with speculation about his 2028 VP run.

5. Saving Democracy from the Circus

To reclaim the Senate’s soul:

Uphold the Constitution: The Supreme Court must review Escudero’s delays against the “forthwith” mandate, potentially forcing a trial via judicial intervention.
Demand Transparency: Public hearings or an independent audit of the ₱612.5 million are critical to address the 88% public demand for accountability.
End the Spectacle: Lawmakers must elevate impeachment above dynastic feuds, ensuring it tests governance, not loyalty to clans.

The Road to 2028

This impeachment is a crucible for the Philippines. If Escudero’s delays succeed, they could embolden Sara Duterte’s 2028 presidential bid, cementing her narrative of victimhood. A transparent trial, however, could either clear her or hold her accountable, reshaping the Marcos-Duterte rivalry. As the 20th Congress looms, the Senate must choose: uphold constitutional duty or let Manila’s coliseum descend into a dynastic circus. The outcome will echo through 2028, determining whether democracy endures or drowns in spectacle.