Former Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday said the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte could begin in the 19th Congress.
In a press conference of the administration-backed Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate in Dumaguete City, Sotto said some senators believe the impeachment proceedings could start during the current Congress, contrary to Senate President Francis Escudero’s assertion that it would be handled by the 20th Congress.
“Kasi nakausap ko ‘yong ibang mga senador, hindi ganoon ang sinasabi (Because I talked to some senators, and that’s not what they are saying),” Sotto said. “Puwede raw i-take up (They said it could be taken up).”
Emphasizing the gravity of the constitutional duty, Sotto underscored the importance of readiness, whether the impeachment trial happens sooner or later.
“Of course, it is a constitutional mandate and therefore it is serious,” Sotto said. “Definitely, we need to be prepared as we have prepared in the past. Are you sure that it will be the 20th Congress because they can take it up now if they want?”
He said the Senate could have acted earlier when it first received the articles of impeachment on Feb. 5.
“It’s a pity because I think if they referred it to the body during the time they received the transmittal, they could have conducted hearings by the committee on rules during the break,” Sotto said.
“They could have convened if they wanted to by June 2 or even before they convene themselves as an impeachment court.”
Escudero earlier said the chamber is likely to constitute itself into an impeachment court only after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address in July.
He added that no impeachment trial will take place during the congressional break, as seven senators will be focused on their reelection campaigns.
Former Senator Panfilo Lacson, another administration-backed senatorial candidate, said during the same press conference that due process would ensure the trial extends beyond the current Congress.
Lacson stressed that the presentation of evidence alone would take time, ruling out a quick resolution.
“Hindi naman puwedeng tapusin ng isang linggo. Dahil kangaroo court naman ang labas no’n (It can’t be finished in a week; otherwise, it would look like a kangaroo court),” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, chair of the Senate Committee on Rules, noted the possibility of the Supreme Court being asked to decide whether jurisdiction over the impeachment lies solely with the 19th Congress.
“It’s a case perhaps, in a few weeks’ time, would be ripe for adjudication,” Tolentino said.
Aside from Sotto, Lacson and Tolentino, the administration’s 12 senatorial bets also include former senators Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson; Reps. Erwin Tulfo and Camille Villar; Senators Lito Lapid, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Pia Cayetano, and Imee Marcos; Makati City Mayor Abby Binay; and former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (PNA)
