(June 13, 2025) – Two party-list groups on Friday called on Senators Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla to inhibit themselves from serving as senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing bias in the two senators’ recent remarks.
Outgoing ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro and congresswoman-elect Leila de Lima said Marcos and Padilla have shown that they are no longer impartial and are acting more like part of Duterte’s defense team.
“Kahit siguro tawasin mo ’yang mga ’yan, supporter pa rin ng mga Duterte. Kaya dapat mag-inhibit sila bilang senator-judges sa trial,” said Castro.
“Kung ganyan ang mga statement, hindi pa nagsisimula ang paglalabas ng mga testimony, mga witness, mga document, mayroon na silang pre-judgement.”
Marcos and Padilla were among the senator-judges who did not wear their robes as the Senate convened as an impeachment court on Tuesday.
They also voted in favor of the motion of Senator-Judges Alan Peter Cayetano and Bato Dela Rosa to have the articles of impeachment returned to the House of Representatives.
Earlier on the same day, Padilla filed a resolution seeking to declare as terminated the impeachment proceedings against Duterte.
De Lima, who will serve as representative of Mamamayang Liberal Partylist in the 20th Congress, said that rules on inhibition for judges should apply to senator-judges.
“Given their statements on and off Senate, and now they’re being seen with VP Sara in Malaysia, referring to her as the next president, these two senator-judges (Sen. Marcos and Padilla) ought to consider inhibition from the impeachment trial. Basic sense of propriety and delicadeza so demand,” said De Lima in a statement.
As of writing, Marcos and Padilla have yet to respond to the calls for inhibition.
Duterte is the first vice president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. She is accused of multiple offenses, including constitutional violations, bribery, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.
(With reports from Marianne Enriquez, News5 correspondent)
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