Chiz Escudero and his dilly-dallying over impeachment

When Senator Migz Zubiri was ousted from the Senate leadership in May 2024, his successor, Senator Chiz Escudero, admitted that he had initiated the move to secure his election to the country’s third highest post.

“When I say, sinimulan kong makipag-usap, dahil marami naman na at that time na may agam-agam,” Escudero said, without naming those who were opposed to Zubiri’s leadership. (When I say I started reaching out, it’s because there were already many at that time who had concerns.)

He personally gathered the signatures and secured the required 13 only a day before Zubiri was ousted from the Senate leadership. Although he denied receiving any directive from Malacañang, political observers believe he was tapped to replace Zubiri after the latter allowed Senator Bato dela Rosa’s inquiry into allegations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had used illegal drugs.

Zubiri himself believes this was what ultimately cost him the Senate presidency. “You know, we’re not really enemies of the powers that be. But because we didn’t follow instructions, we were targeted,” he said in Filipino.

A year into his Senate presidency, Escudero finds himself in the spotlight, unfavorably among his critics but welcomed by supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte. Under his leadership, the Senate has delayed the impeachment trial proceedings against the Vice President, prompting critics to claim this violates the Constitution.

Critics accuse Escudero of delaying the trial to protect his own position, as his Senate leadership is at stake. With the return of Senate veteran and former leader Tito Sotto, Escudero’s hold on the Senate presidency in the 20th Congress suddenly remains uncertain. (READ: Will Tito Sotto lead the Senate in the 20th Congress?)

Unlike Escudero, Sotto has stated in interviews that the Senate should proceed with the trial without delay, as the Constitution mandates the Senate to conduct the impeachment trial and deliver a verdict. Meanwhile, Escudero is trying to strike a delicate balance between fulfilling the Senate’s constitutional mandate and appeasing Duterte-allied senators.

Escudero’s moves have been calculated and strategic. On the last remaining session days of the 19th Congress, the Senate remanded the impeachment case against the Vice President to the House of Representatives, further delaying the proceedings.

As a lawyer himself, Escudero knows all too well how to navigate, or skirt, the legal intricacies of the impeachment process. He sticks to the letter of the law, often citing Senate rules to justify what the chamber can and cannot do.

Since entering politics, Escudero has been known for his being articulate and his frequent participation in debates with colleagues. However, this trait has at times worked against him, particularly as he has engaged in verbal sparring with members of the House, occasionally coming across as condescending. In one press briefing, the Senate President even remarked that the Senate is not “equal” to the House lawmakers.

Escudero hails from a well-entrenched political family in Sorsogon. He is the second of three children of the late Salvador Escudero, who served as agriculture minister under the former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, and Evelina Guevara Escudero. His father also served as Sorsogon’s 1st District Representative, while his mother held the same congressional seat from 2013 to 2022. His sister, Dette Escudero, succeeded their mother and was reelected unopposed as the 1st District Representative of Sorsogon in the May 2025 elections.

He earned his law degree from the University of the Philippines, where he was also a member of the debate team. After passing the bar in 1994, he practiced law before eventually entering politics.

‘Bright boys’

Escudero is a seasoned political figure who has experienced three impeachment proceedings, playing key roles on both the defense and prosecution sides before Sara Duterte’s case.

In 2000, during the impeachment of then-president Joseph Estrada, Escudero served as the spokesperson for the pro-Estrada bloc in Congress. According to Newsbreak magazine, published in August 2005, after Estrada was ousted, Escudero retained his position as senior assistant deputy majority leader in the House of Representatives because his party at the time, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, aligned itself with the new administration.

In 2005, Escudero was among those who filed the impeachment case against then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo over allegations of electoral fraud 2005. However, the complaint failed to advance due to insufficient support from members of the House. He was the House minority floor leader at that time.

In 2012, Escudero served as one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of former chief justice Renato Corona, ultimately voting for conviction. He later expressed regret over the outcome, saying he “regretted having to vote for the conviction,” but emphasized that his decision was based on the clear legal responsibility related to Corona’s failure to fully disclose his assets.

Escudero was first elected to Congress in 1998, when he was elected Representative of the 1st District of Sorsogon. He served three terms during which he served as assistant majority floor leader and House minority floor leader.

He was among the members of the so-called “Bright Boys,” a group of first-term administration lawmakers elected to the House of Representatives during the term of Estrada. They earned the nickname from Estrada, who said he believed Congress had a “bright future” with them.

Escudero was part of this group alongside then-Isabela representative Rodolfo Albano III, then-Taguig representative Alan Peter Cayetano, then-Cebu representative Ace Durano, then-Marinduque representative Edmundo Reyes Jr., then-Camiguin representative Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, and then-Tarlac representative Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

The “Bright Boys” bloc was an allusion to a similar opposition clique, “Spice Boys,” whom Zubiri was a part of. The Spice Boys played a crucial role in removing Estrada from office.

Being a notable oppositionist during the Arroyo administration, Escudero rose to prominence and ranked second in the 2007 senatorial race. He completed two Senate terms and in 2019, he went back to his province in Sorsogon as governor.

In 2022, he successfully returned to the Senate, placing fifth in the race. However, he faced criticism for “playing it safe” during the presidential election, as he didn’t formally endorse his fellow Bicolano, then-presidential candidate Leni Robredo.

Escudero tried his luck at the vice presidency in 2016, but lost to Robredo.

Self-preservation?

Escudero has denied that delays in the impeachment proceedings are motivated by “self-preservation.” (READ: Delay impeachment trial? Not about keeping Senate presidency, says Escudero)

“It has nothing to do [with it] — especially given the fact that the 20th Congress will have a completely different composition,” he said during a press briefing on June 2. While he noted that it was too early to seek support for his Senate presidency, he did not rule out the possibility of once again soliciting signatures from his colleagues.

Having served as Senate President for just a year, political observers note that he is keen to retain the position, as he does not want his leadership to be defined by a contentious impeachment trial against the Vice President.

Although there have been high-profile investigations in the Senate during his term — most notably led by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros, including the cases of Alice Guo and doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy — these were not directly spearheaded by Escudero himself. (READ: Risa Hontiveros: How far will her fierce dissenting voice in the Senate take her?)

Political analyst Joey Salgado said that clearly Escudero’s actions on the impeachment proceedings are related to his wanting to retain the Senate presidency.

“If you view his actions from the perspective of self-interest, of wanting to retain the presidency in the 20th Senate, then you can see the method in the madness, the cold logic, in his handling, so far, of the impeachment trial,” Salgado said.

In one of the press briefings, Escduero was asked if the Senate was ever listening to the public clamor about wanting the impeachment trial to proceed. The reporter who asked the question was referring to the commissioned survey done by the Social Weather Stations, which revealed that 88% of respondents believe the Vice President should face trial. 

In response, Escudero asked which survey the reporter was referring to, even questioning if they were looking at the same data. This exchange suggested he was keenly aware of the political implications of his actions as the presiding officer of the impeachment trial. After all, according to Pulse Asia’s May survey, the Vice President remains the most trusted and highly approved top official, enjoying a 50% trust rating compared to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 32%.

Let’s backtrack a bit. In 2022, then-vice presidential candidate Duterte endorsed Escudero’s bid for a Senate comeback. Earlier this June, the Vice President also defended him, dismissing criticisms that trial delays were due to Escudero being afraid of her, saying he wasn’t.

Salgado noted that, above all, Escudero’s strength lies in his political cunning, adding that “he knows how to read the room.”

“He has never been identified with any cause or advocacy. What is front and center is how he plays politics. And his interests are always at the heart of his power play. Escudero is ambitious on two legs,” he said.

Will Escudero’s dilly-dallying over the impeachment trial work to his advantage in retaining the Senate presidency? Salgado believes it’s “in the bag.” – Rappler.com