Senator Rodante Marcoleta has formally requested the Senate impeachment court to acknowledge and include his vote in the ongoing trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero confirmed on Monday that Senate leadership received a letter from Marcoleta, who cited a precedent from the 2001 impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada allowing members facing unavoidable circumstances to participate in voting.
“The court is in receipt—the presiding officer rather, as well as the Senate President—of a letter of manifestations signed by Senator-Judge Marcoleta, citing a rule in the Estrada impeachment trial and wanting his vote to be considered,” Escudero said at the close of the seventh day of the trial.
Marcoleta is currently detained over a nonbailable plunder case involving allegations that he failed to declare ₱75 million in campaign contributions during the 2025 midterm elections.
Escudero stated that the impeachment court will not act on the petition immediately, choosing instead to refer the issue to the Senate in its legislative capacity.
“Given that it’s the Senate that will be amending the rules to allow participation through a vote,” he added.
The Senate president noted that he personally agrees with Marcoleta’s request, provided no formal suspension order has been issued against the lawmaker.
However, Escudero mentioned that the court is still evaluating whether the Estrada trial precedent applies to the current proceedings.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano also backed Marcoleta’s plea, referencing a similar attempt by another detained colleague, Senator Jinggoy Estrada, who brought his case to the high court.
“I think Senator Estrada elevated to the Supreme Court the denial of the Sandiganbayan to allow him to attend,” Cayetano said.
On July 10, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division rejected Estrada’s motion to attend the trial, ruling that participating in the impeachment proceedings did not justify temporary release.
Estrada remains in custody over nonbailable plunder charges connected to an alleged ₱573 million kickback scheme involving dubious infrastructure projects.