MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced that the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte will be moved to June 11, 2025, to allow the Senate and the House of Representatives to focus on priority legislative measures before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 14.

With only six session days remaining, Escudero stressed the urgent need to pass at least 12 important bills, which Congress committed to approve before the end of the term.

These priority measures include amendments to the Foreign Investors’ Long-Term Lease Act, the E-Governance Act, the Open Access in Data Transmission (Konektadong Pinoy Act), the Rationalization of the Fiscal Mining Regime, amendments to the Universal Health Care Act, the Virology Institute of the Philippines, the Government Optimization Act, amendments to the Right-of-Way Act, setting the term of office of Barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan members, judicial fiscal autonomy, the Denatured Alcohol Tax, and the Anti-POGO Act.

The decision was communicated in a letter to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, with a copy also sent to the office of Vice President Duterte.

The priority bills were also discussed during the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on May 29.

Aside from passing bills, Escudero emphasized the need to act on over 200 pending presidential appointments, including three cabinet secretaries, four officials of constitutional commissions, 39 foreign service officers, and 277 officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The presentation of the Articles of Impeachment, initially scheduled for June 2, is the necessary first step to initiate impeachment proceedings. Once presented in plenary, the Senate can constitute itself as an impeachment court and begin the trial of Vice President Duterte.