Lacson: VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial may start in June

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said the possible impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte may not begin until June, despite moves to immediately convene the Senate as an impeachment court once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Lacson said Senate President Vicente Sotto III wants the impeachment court convened right away, but procedural requirements could delay the formal start of trial proceedings by at least three weeks.

“Once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to us, if we follow the processes, we're talking of at least three weeks before the actual trial starts,” Lacson said.

He explained that the Senate would first need to complete several legal procedures, including issuing summons to the Vice President, receiving replies, and conducting a preliminary conference where both prosecution and defense panels may agree on stipulations and evidence before hearings begin.

Lacson said the pre-trial process is intended to avoid the confusion that marred the impeachment proceedings against late former Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.

“I recall that during the trial of Corona, there was no preliminary conference, so there was some confusion during the trial because ‘surprise’ witnesses were introduced,” he said.

He added that defining the issues early would help streamline proceedings and prevent unnecessary disputes during the trial itself.

Lacson also raised the possibility that the impeachment proceedings could face legal challenges before the Supreme Court of the Philippines, particularly if a temporary restraining order (TRO) is issued.

According to Lacson, the impeachment court would deliberate collectively on how to respond should the High Court intervene.

“I believe that so long as the Supreme Court does not issue a TRO, the trial will continue,” he said, stressing that decisions of the impeachment court are constitutionally significant and subject to a vote among senator-judges.

The senator revealed that lawmakers had already met last Thursday to discuss preparations for the possible historic proceedings.

During the meeting, senators were reminded to remain impartial and “act like judges” rather than political allies of either side.

Lacson said Robin Padilla, who belongs to the minority bloc, attended the meeting and was asked to relay the reminder to fellow minority senators.

“We must listen to the questions during direct and cross-examination, and base our decisions on the evidence,” Lacson said.

Despite not being a lawyer, Lacson joked that he still has courtroom experience from his years in law enforcement.

“I joked that I do have experience in court, not as a lawyer but as a witness. When I was a law enforcer, I took the stand as a witness or arresting officer — or even an accused,” he said.

He also disclosed that around P27 million remains available for the impeachment proceedings under continuing appropriations from the 2025 budget.

Lacson said only about P512,000 from the original P27.544 million allocation had been used previously for senator-judges’ robes, identification cards, and related materials.

“If not used this year, the amount will be treated as savings and returned to the treasury,” he said.