Bantay Senado launches to monitor Sara Duterte impeachment trial

A non-partisan citizens’ network will formally launch on Monday, June 1, to monitor the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte and help ensure the proceedings are constitutional, fair, and impartial.

Bantay Senado, an initiative of the Team Pinas Foundation in partnership with De La Salle Philippines, will hold its public launch at De La Salle University on Taft Avenue, Manila.

A volunteer meet and greet is set for 11 a.m., followed by the launch proper at 1 p.m., which will feature an introduction to the network, a town hall meeting, and a press conference.

The network brings together a coalition of students, academics, lawyers, civil society groups, and concerned citizens ahead of a trial that has drawn intense public interest nationwide.

Bantay Senado said it takes no position on the guilt or innocence of Duterte, and that its mission is to help ensure the trial is conducted transparently, fairly, and forthwith, in keeping with constitutional requirements.

“The Senate’s obligation to hold a fair and impartial impeachment trial is a constitutional duty owed to every Filipino,” said Bantay Senado Convenor and Spokesperson Prof. Cleve V. Arguelles.

“The obligation of senator-judges to be fair and impartial is not only to the House prosecution panel or to Vice President Sara Duterte. It is a solemn duty owed to more than 110 million Filipinos,” Arguelles added.

“Through Bantay Senado, we are asserting that the public is the fourth participant in this impeachment trial.”

Arguelles, a political scientist, said the proceedings will be a defining test of the Senate’s commitment to accountability of public officials, the rule of law, and the supremacy of the Constitution.

“This trial is bigger than any politician, political party or election. For ordinary Filipinos, what is ultimately on trial is whether our institutions are willing and able to uphold the Constitution when it matters most,” he said.

“The Filipino people deserve a process that is transparent, evidence-based and free from political maneuvering. They deserve senator-judges who will decide based on facts and law, not partisan loyalties, personal relationships or political calculations.”

The launch will gather legal scholars, political scientists, educators, and civil society leaders to discuss the impeachment process and the role of public oversight in democratic accountability.

Among the speakers are political scientist Dr. Julio Teehankee of De La Salle University, University of Makati Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ederson Tapia, former De La Salle University College of Liberal Arts dean Dr. Jazmin Llana, human rights lawyer Atty. Dino De Leon, and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Student Government President Jeus Fajardo.

De Leon said the trial will shape public trust in democratic institutions long after the verdict is rendered.

“The legitimacy of the outcome will depend not only on the final vote but on whether the Filipino people see a process that is credible, impartial and worthy of public trust,” he said.

He added that constitutional accountability requires full public scrutiny.

“The Senate does not conduct this trial for politicians. It conducts this trial in the name of the Filipino people. That is why transparency is not optional. Public accountability is not optional. Fidelity to the Constitution is not optional,” he said.

Ahead of the proceedings, Bantay Senado will conduct community town halls, public education campaigns, and volunteer training activities nationwide.

During the trial, the network plans to deploy observers, publish daily analyses, and maintain a public scorecard tracking the performance and engagement of senator-judges.

The network currently counts more than 350 registered volunteers across the country, ranging from students to lawyers.