The Senate impeachment court halted proceedings early Monday and canceled hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday as the southwest monsoon battered Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The interruptions delayed the House prosecution's presentation of evidence on Article I of the impeachment complaint, which concerns allegations involving the use and liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds.
The court currently holds trial proceedings from Monday to Wednesday, with hearings starting in the morning before the Senate's regular plenary session.
Prosecution pushes 3 p.m. start, Friday hearings
The House prosecution panel is backing a shift to afternoon impeachment hearings and the addition of Friday as a trial day to accelerate proceedings.
House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers said starting at 3 p.m. would allow senators and House members to complete their legislative and committee work in the morning before turning to the impeachment case.
“Morning ’yung legislative work, and then 3 p.m. one to sawa, ‘ika nga, eh doon na natin talakayin itong impeachment,” Barbers said during an online press briefing.
Barbers said Thursday could remain available for Senate committee hearings, while Friday could be devoted entirely to the impeachment trial.
“If we want to finish this as early as possible, siguro para hindi tayo abutin ng Pasko, eh siguro magdagdag ng isang araw,” he said.
House prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan also backed an afternoon start, saying it would allow both chambers to conduct their regular work before the trial resumes.
“To me, the sooner the better,” Kapunan said when asked when the proposed schedule should take effect.
Senators to decide on trial schedule Monday
Senator-judges are expected to discuss the impeachment trial timetable Monday, with an afternoon start emerging as a leading option.
Sen. Erwin Tulfo said the majority and minority blocs would seek consensus on moving the proceedings later in the day to give the court more time to hear the case.
Lacson said most senator-judges favored a 2:30 p.m. start from 1 September, while Zubiri had previously called for Senate legislative sessions to be held in the morning and impeachment proceedings in the afternoon.
Zubiri made the proposal during an earlier trial session, arguing that morning legislative sessions would prevent impeachment proceedings from being cut short by the Senate's regular calendar.
The Senate must also accommodate hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget, adding pressure to find a timetable that allows lawmakers to perform their legislative duties while giving the impeachment court enough time to complete the trial.
The Senate impeachment court has yet to formally adopt a revised schedule.###
