FULL TEXT: Oath of Senator-judges for VP Sara Duterte's impeachment trial

Presiding Judge Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero led the oath-taking ceremony of the senators of the 19th Congress as senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the solemn ceremony held at the Plenary Hall of the Senate of the Philippines on Tuesday, June 10, they affirmed:

"I, [name], solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws of the Philippines. So help me God."

However, Imee Marcos noted that she took the oath ad cautelam, or for caution, while Robin Padilla said he took it with reservations.

This pledge officially transforms the Senate into an impeachment court and its members into impartial judges.

The Senate's role in impeachment trials is firmly rooted in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Article XI, Section 3 grants the Senate the "sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment."

A House member or a House-endorsed citizen may file a verified complaint for impeachment. There must be at least one-third votes from the House for an impeachment case to go to the Senate.

The Senate will then hold a trial with the impeached official under the Articles of Impeachment submitted by the House of Representatives. Under Senate rules, senators are required to observe political neutrality throughout, which is defined as the "exercise of a public official's duty without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or preference."

The impeached official would have to answer (or plead) to every charge in the Articles of Impeachment on her own or through a representative. According to the UP College of Law, a refusal to do so would mean they entered a "not guilty" plea.

Senators will then hear arguments and witnesses from both sides, which will be followed by closing arguments.

The impeachment trial requires a two-thirds vote to remove the impeached official from power. If it's the president who's on trial, the SC's Chief Justice shall preside but cannot vote.

Before the Senator-judges took their oaths during the June 10 session, Sen. Bato Dela Rosa moved to dismiss Duterte's impeachment case "in view of its Constitutional infirmities and questions on the jurisdiction and authority of the 20th Congress."

This, however, was amended by Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano, who moved to return the Articles of Impeachment to the House, without dismissing nor terminating the case until:

• The House of Representatives certifies to the non-violation of Art. XI, Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Constitution, which provides that "No impeachment proceedings shall be initiated against the same official more than once within the period of one year"; including the circumstances on filing of the first three impeachment complaints
• The House of Representatives of the 20th Congress communicates to the Senate that it is willing and ready to pursue the impeachment complaint against the Vice President.

The vote resulted in 18 in favor and five against. 

Since the motion was approved, the prosecution would not present any evidence on Wednesday.