Rep Luistro challenges Escudero on impeachment dismissal

On Thursday, June 26, 2025, an impeachment prosecutor from the House of Representatives disagreed with Senate President Francis Escudero's stance that senator-judges can vote to dismiss articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Representative Gerville Luistro argued that the Constitution mandates the Impeachment Court to try and decide on cases without dismissing them outright, emphasizing that both prosecution and defense must present evidence before a decision is made.

ML Party-list Representative-elect Leila de Lima criticized Escudero's interpretation of the Constitution as being different from the original 1987 version, suggesting it undermines constitutional mechanisms.

Lawyer Christian Monsod, a framer of the 1987 Constitution, stressed that the Senate does not have the power to 'dismiss' an impeachment case; its role is limited to conducting the trial and deciding on conviction or acquittal.

House Assistant Majority Leaders Ernesto Dionisio Jr. and Zia Alonto Adiong questioned Escudero's position, emphasizing that dismissing articles without evidence would be a disservice to Filipinos and urged senator-judges to respect constitutional procedures by allowing the trial to proceed.