Bantay Senado, a citizens’ monitoring network tracking the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, is urging the Senate Impeachment Court to allow media and public access to the June 18 pre-trial conference, warning that transparency is essential to the legitimacy of the constitutional process.
The Senate Impeachment Court earlier issued notice that the pre-trial conference would not be open to the public or media, citing the need to give both prosecution and defense “the widest freedom and latitude” in preparing for the proceedings.
Bantay Senado, however, argued that the pre-trial stage is not a procedural formality but a critical phase where trial guidelines are set, evidence is formally identified, and witnesses are disclosed—decisions that will shape the course of the impeachment trial.
“The impeachment trial of a sitting Vice President is not a private legal dispute between two parties. It is a constitutional process conducted in the name of the Filipino people,” said Prof. Cleve Arguelles, convenor and spokesperson of Bantay Senado. “Every stage of that process — including the pre-trial — must be conducted transparently.”
The group emphasized that public participation and access are not optional elements but fundamental aspects of accountability in impeachment proceedings. It maintained that transparency ensures public confidence in the process, regardless of the outcome.
Bantay Senado clarified that it is not taking a position on the merits of the case against Vice President Duterte and is not aligned with either the prosecution or the defense. However, it noted that some members of the prosecution panel have expressed openness to holding the pre-trial in public, a position the group supports.
Legal contributor Atty. Michael Tiu Jr., assistant professor at the University of the Philippines College of Law, said impeachment proceedings involve matters of public concern and therefore require broad access consistent with constitutional principles of transparency and due process.
“Impeachment trials and the information they present are matters of public concern,” Tiu said. “Closing it to the public and media without compelling constitutional justification may raise serious questions about the court’s commitment to due process and open justice.”
He added that transparency at the pre-trial stage does not conflict with fair trial rights, but rather reinforces public trust in the integrity of the proceedings.
Bantay Senado said its appeal is grounded on its mandate as a non-partisan citizen monitoring group formed to observe the impeachment trial from pre-trial to final judgment. The network is part of Team Pinas Foundation and has more than 400 volunteers nationwide.
The group called on the Senate Impeachment Court to reconsider its decision and allow the June 18 pre-trial conference to proceed in public view, stressing that openness is essential to maintaining confidence in one of the country’s most consequential constitutional processes.