A civil society-led “People’s Court” is being organized to monitor the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and provide the public with daily assessments of the proceedings.
The initiative aims to bring together members of the clergy, academics, and student leaders to follow the trial and help explain key arguments and developments to a wider audience.
Organizers said the group is being formed in anticipation of a politically charged trial, where senators may hold differing positions and public opinion could become more divided.
“Senators may already have their own positions. Society is already divided, so we want to monitor the proceedings in one place and help the public understand what is happening,” said Jaime Regalario, one of the organizers.
The proposed body is expected to review the day’s proceedings and release its own evaluation, including identifying gaps, issues, and key points raised during the hearings.
“At the end of the day, the People’s Court will come up with its own assessment—what happened, what the issues were, and what needs to be addressed,” Regalario said.
The effort is also intended to prepare the public for possible outcomes of the trial and channel public reaction toward informed discussion.
“The objective is to prepare people for any eventual outcome and give direction to public sentiment,” he added.
The move comes as the House Committee on Justice has already found probable cause in the impeachment complaints, with the case expected to proceed to the House plenary and potentially to the Senate for trial.
Organizers said the initiative could serve as a public forum that examines the arguments presented during the trial while helping citizens navigate a highly polarized environment.
“People are already divided. There are groups preparing to support the Vice President, and others who oppose her. We want to bring order to that and focus on understanding the issues,” Regalario said.
The group emphasized that the goal is to keep public attention on the facts and ensure that discussions around the trial remain grounded in accountability and the national interest.