Since PBBM’s ‘State of the Nation Address’ (SONA) last July 28, 2025, a Monday, the Filipino people’s anger has surged and waned. On three dates, September 21 and November 30, 2025, and February 25, 2026, there were multiple rallies against the flood control scam. The INC organized a three - day Rally for Transparency and Democracy on November 16 – 18, 2025.
The House of Representatives first impeached Vice President Sarah Zimmerman Duterte on February 5, 2025 with 215 votes. This was by the fast direct route to the plenary and did not go through the HoR Committee on Justice.
The then Senate President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero did not follow the Constitutional mandate of ‘forthwith’ proceeding with the Impeachment Trial. Instead, he delayed the convening of the Impeachment Court to June 3, 2025, and beyond.
Meanwhile, on July 25, 2025, the Supreme Court (13 – 0 – 2) declared the Articles of Impeachment unconstitutional under the one - year rule and that it violates the right to due process.
From the SONA through the months of August, September, October and November, the People’s Anger continued to grow. Throughout exposes in the media and in Congress and the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Ombudsman investigations, Senate coups and reorganization, the political temperature was maintained.
Meanwhile, resource persons, persons of interest, subjects of investigation and accused were browbeaten, cited for contempt, detained and accepted as state witnesses. Cases were filed before the Sandiganbayan and the Regional Trial Courts (RTC). Many small fish were arrested. A few big fish were arrested. A few trials started. The Christmas Season came and went. Then, the People’s Anger waned.
The February 25, 2026, rallies were much smaller than the September 21, and November 30 rallies had been. The political temperature had gone down. A second Impeachment case had been filed before the HoR, referred to its Committee on Justice, heard, voted upon and endorsed to the Plenary.
Major fugitives Senator “Bato” de la Rosa, expelled Congressman Zaldy Co, Atty. Harry Roque and even billionaire - gambler, “Atong” Ang remained on the run.
“Malazado” exposes occurred. Senator Ping Lacson did not hold Blue Ribbon hearings. Its committee report failed to get enough signatures. A Senate coup fueled by the numerous suspect and guilty, as well as “soon to be arrested” Senators was cooked up. It involved Bato finally attending a session to provide the Opposition with the necessary 13 votes to declare all positions vacant on Monday, May 11, after a failed attempt by the NBI to arrest Bato.
Finally, the HoR Plenary voted on Monday, May 11, 2026, to Impeach VP SZD by a vote of 257 – 25 - 9.
At about 7:45 pm, on Wednesday, May 13, after the Senate plenary session was over and just as the Articles of Impeachment from the HoR arrived, a shooting drama unfolded in the second floor of the Senate at the building’s boundary with the GSIS. While being made to appear as an attack by the NBI on the Senate, it was either a PR gimmick to gain sympathy for the Senate specially, the newly installed majority or the Office of the Senate Sergeant atArms (OSSA) seeing ghosts.
It also was either meant to allow Bato to escape and to derail the Impeachment or after the farcical moment had occurred just taken advantage by a cynical new Senate majority to cry “Wolf”!
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