Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday expressed his confidence in Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero's appointment as the presiding officer for the Senate's forthcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Senate majority bloc recently endorsed Escudero due to his legal expertise and previous experience with impeachment proceedings. President Marcos highlighted that the rules the Senate adopted were originally crafted by Escudero during the previous year's impeachment process. This, according to Marcos, underscores Escudero's capability to effectively manage the trial.

Senator Panfilo Lacson confirmed on Wednesday that the new Senate majority bloc had reached an initial agreement to elect Escudero as the presiding officer of the impeachment court. The formal election is set to occur when the Senate convenes as an impeachment court on July 6.

Escudero, a lawyer and former Senate President, previously presided over the Senate impeachment court in 2025 during the impeachment trial of Duterte. His previous role attracted some criticism, but President Marcos dismissed these concerns, emphasizing that the past impeachment proceedings were halted due to a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that deemed the initial complaint against the Vice President unconstitutional.

Marcos reassured that the Supreme Court decision, not Escudero's performance, was the reason for the cessation of last year's impeachment trial, expressing confidence in Escudero's ability to oversee the upcoming proceedings.