‘Constitution will prevail’: Lacson downplays Senate shakeup amid VP’s impeachment

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson brushed aside concerns of a leadership shake-up in the Senate, even as lawmakers quietly prepare for the possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lacson revealed that he and Senate President Vicente Sotto III have begun taking “crash courses” on legal procedures, including the Rules of Court and the Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure, as behind-the-scenes preparations should the impeachment complaint will reach the upper chamber.

“Impeachment trial or no impeachment trial, there’s always the possibility of an attempt at leadership change. That will not go away. Such plots are usually hatched during session breaks,” Lacson said in a radio interview. 

“At least to my knowledge, the majority bloc is solid because Senate President Sotto is leading well,” he added.

Lacson said the briefings are meant to ensure readiness should senators be called to serve as judges, noting that such legal frameworks may apply suppletorily during impeachment proceedings. 

He added that he has also sought guidance from retired justices and legal experts.

Despite the political undercurrents, Lacson maintained there is no immediate threat to Sotto’s leadership, saying the majority bloc remains intact. 

Still, he acknowledged that leadership challenges are not unusual and often surface during session breaks.

The veteran lawmaker also flagged a possible legal hurdle from Senator Rodante Marcoleta, who may question the basis of the impeachment process in an attempt to block it. 

Lacson, however, was firm that the Constitution provides a clear mandate.

“The answer to Marcoleta’s threat lies in one word: Constitution,” he said, emphasizing that senators are duty-bound to act as senator-judges once an impeachment trial proceeds.

He added that should any senator challenge that constitutional duty, it could raise questions about their role in the proceedings, depending on how arguments are framed.

“It depends on how he will present his arguments. If needed, he may be told to join the defense team,” Lacson pointed out.