By Hannah Torregoza
The new Senate majority bloc has agreed to designate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as the presiding officer in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed that Escudero’s designation will be formalized when the Senate convenes as an impeachment court on July 6, 2026.
“As of our consensus this morning, we will elect Sen. Escudero if we convene again as impeachment court to be presiding officer,” Lacson said, noting Escudero’s legal background and prior experience in handling impeachment proceedings.
Lacson stressed that the decision was based on consensus within the majority bloc and not tied to Escudero’s recent alignment with the group.
“No, we discussed it among ourselves just to keep things smooth,” he explained.
Escudero, who previously served as Senate President, also acted as presiding officer in an earlier impeachment trial involving the Vice President.
His political journey has seen him shift alliances, including joining Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s bloc before attending the June 3 session that led to another leadership shake-up and the election of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate President.
During the Special Session called by Malacañang on June 17, Escudero signed the resolution officially designating Gatchalian as Senate leader, further cementing his role in the new majority.
