Senator Ping Lacson on Sunday proposed allowing detained senators to attend Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial under police escort, warning that a lack of senator-judges could derail the proceedings.
The proposal followed Ombudsman Boying Remulla’s disclosure that nine to 10 senators are under investigation over the multibillion-peso flood control scandal.
Lacson said the Senate could face a crisis if arrests or suspensions further reduce participation in the trial, where the Constitution requires 16 votes to convict an impeached official.
“One solution is for us to file a motion for leave of court to allow them to attend the impeachment trial, even if they are under the escort of the BJMP or their custodian,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
“Otherwise, it’s going to be a crisis. There will be no impeachment because there are not enough senator-judges left,” he added.
Lacson said the motion could be filed before the Sandiganbayan unless the Ombudsman issues preventive suspension orders.
Aside from detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Joel Villanueva have also been linked to the flood control controversy.
Senator Rodante Marcoleta is facing separate plunder and corruption-related complaints.
Lacson stressed that the Constitution requires 16 votes for conviction and that the threshold cannot be reduced.
His remarks came amid the continuing dispute between the blocs of Acting Senate President Win Gatchalian and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.
