No Senate impeachment trial possible — Lacson

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility that the Senate may not convene as an impeachment court if the majority is outnumbered by the opposition senators who are likely to block a trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Although Lacson acknowledged this may have legal implications, as the Senate is constitutionally mandated to convene as a court to try impeachment cases filed by the House of Representatives, he said they are also required to adhere to the majority ruling.

“[We will] divide the chamber. If we lose in the voting, then we won't convene,” he said in a forum.

“Because this is not a one-man court; this is a 24-member court, and the majority will decide. We have yet to convene as an impeachment court, so we will vote as the Senate,” he added.

Earlier, Senator Robin Padilla, a Duterte ally, said the minority will oppose the convening of the impeachment court.

This was contradicted by Senate President Tito Sotto, however, who said they are duty-bound to convene as a court regardless of the circumstances.

Preparations in the Senate are underway ahead of the House plenary vote on the articles of impeachment against Duterte.

The House intends to vote on whether to impeach Duterte—for the second time—on Monday.

Once the articles are transmitted to the Senate, it may convene as an impeachment court the following day, according to Sotto.

Lacson said the majority is expecting the minority, composed mostly of Duterte allies, to block the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court.

Last year, in the previous Congress, the minority bloc mounted a similar effort but it failed to stop the Senate from convening as an impeachment court.

If this time the minority succeeds in convincing the majority to vote in their favor, Lacson said they would owe the public an explanation for having defied their constitutional mandate.

Meanwhile, Lacson asserted that a potential attempt by Duterte supporters to seek the Supreme Court’s intervention would not stop the trial, unless the High Court issues a temporary restraining order, which he believes is “very unlikely.”

The upcoming sine die adjournment of Congress in early June would also not derail the impeachment trial, according to Lacson, who said the chamber’s rules do not bind the Senate court so the proceedings could continue.

The majority will appoint Senator Kiko Pangilinan as the “impeachment manager” given his legal expertise.

Only Pangilinan and Senator Pia Cayetano are the lawyers in the majority, while in the minority they are Senators Allan Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, and Rodante Marcoleta.