Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III assured the public Tuesday that the chamber will act “forthwith” to convene as an impeachment court once the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte reach the Senate.

Sotto said the Senate could convene as early as 4 May, coinciding with the resumption of congressional sessions following a month-long break and cited that the trial could formally begin two weeks after the articles are transmitted by the House of Representatives.

“I will act on it with dispatch. Definitely forthwith,” said Sotto, who will serve as the presiding judge. “As soon as the Senate receives it, I will inform the Senate and refer it to the Senate Committee on Rules.”

Sotto’s commitment to move “without delay” addresses previous legal debates regarding the constitutional interpretation of “forthwith.”

His predecessor, former Senate President Chiz Escudero, faced criticism last year for suggesting the term did not strictly mean “instant.” Sotto, a veteran of previous impeachment cases, maintained he understood the urgency required by the Charter.

The Senate leader confirmed he has already briefed the majority bloc to prepare for the proceedings.

“We’re simply preparing, just in case, because it’s already there. It is part of the job of the Senate,” Sotto said.

The House Committee on Justice aims to conclude its hearings by 29 April and adopt the committee report in the plenary on 4 May. If approved by one-third of the House membership, the articles could be transmitted to the Senate that same day.

Under Senate rules, Duterte would need nine votes from the 24 senator-judges to be acquitted. While some senators are seen as allies of the vice president, Sotto expressed hope that the chamber would remain impartial.

The impeachment charges stem from the alleged questionable use of P650 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary from mid-2022 to June 2024.

State auditors have already issued a notice of disallowance for P73.3 million of that amount.

The disallowed expenses are part of P125 million in confidential funds spent in December 2022. While the OVP reported the funds were used over 11 days, a former aide alleged the disbursement occurred in less than 24 hours.

Duterte has dismissed the proceedings as politically motivated, characterizing them as an attempt to derail her potential 2028 presidential bid. She recently petitioned the Supreme Court to block the proceedings, but the high court declined to issue a temporary restraining order.