Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua on Saturday questioned the prospect of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada participating in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte if he does not attend the proceedings.

Speaking at the Saturday News Forum, Chua, a member of the House prosecution panel, argued that a senator acting as an impeachment judge must personally hear witness testimonies and observe their demeanor before rendering a verdict. "How can you cast your vote when you did not even participate in the impeachment trial in the first place?" Chua said, adding that assessing a witness' credibility goes beyond reading transcripts.

The lawmaker stressed that an impeachment trial is distinct from ordinary legislative work, as senators serve as judges tasked with evaluating both the substance and manner of witness testimony. "How can they vote if they did not see the witness? They were not able to assess the demeanor. They did not see and were not able to assess whether the witness is lying or not," Chua said.