Senate President Francis Escudero and Vice President Sara Duterte (Photos from NI脩O JESUS ORBETA and GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senate President Francis 鈥淐hiz鈥� Escudero sees no need to change the rules in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte lest the Senate be accused of聽 doing so 鈥渋n the middle of the game.鈥�
But it was just a suggestion that will still be up for the approval of the Senate once it convenes as an impeachment court to try the complaint against Duterte, Escudero said.
According to him, they have been receiving many proposals for changes, but he suggests that they just adopt the existing impeachment rules.
鈥� The Senate and the institution of the Senate might be accused of changing the rules in the middle of the game to favor one side or the other,鈥� Escudero explained at the regular Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday.
鈥淚 will propose that, if there are any changes in the rules, they should apply to future impeachment cases and not to this one,鈥� he said.
At the resumption of the 19th Congress on June 2, Escudero expects the House prosecution team鈥檚 formal presentation of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
The on February 5, and it immediately transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Office of the Senate before Congress went on a break on the same day.
But the mere filing with the Senate secretary will not trigger the convening of the impeachment court, the Senate chief stressed.
Escudero explained that, under the existing rules, the House must present the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate plenary.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the formal procedure for the Senate to officially take cognizance of the impeachment, not the filing with the secretary general,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he reading of the Articles of Impeachment in plenary by the prosecutors is stated in our rules. And then the Senate can take cognizance of it, and that will now be used as the basis to convene the impeachment court,鈥� he added.
Once the charges against Duterte are presented before the plenary, the Senate will then refer them to the appropriate committee of the chamber.
鈥淎nd that will now be the basis for convening the impeachment court, either on the same day or the following day,鈥� Escudero said.
The impeachment trial is proposed to start on July 30 under the new Congress. /apl
(NOTE: The English translations of some Filipino quotes in the article were AI-generated.)