Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday categorically denied a rumored meeting between himself, another senator-elect, and Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson, who ran with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate, dismissed the rumor as “completely false and downright malicious.”
“[A]s an elected senator who is a potential senator- President should the trial cross over to the 20th Congress, it is the height of impropriety to meet with her, being a respondent in the impeachment case already transmitted to the Senate,” Lacson said in a statement.
Under normal circumstances, Lacson said, he saw nothing wrong with newly elected senators and congressmen paying a courtesy call on the second highest official – which he admittedly did with former vice president Leni Robredo in 2016.
Those who made it to the so-called Magic 12—both newly elected and returning senators—will serve as senator-judges in the looming impeachment trial of Duterte.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on 5 February with 215 lawmakers – more than two-thirds of the membership – supporting the motion.
Her conviction in the Senate trial would cause her removal from office and bar her from holding public office in the future.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero had earlier announced that the upper chamber will convene the impeachment court on 30 July.
For Duterte to be convicted, at least 16 or two-thirds of the 24 senators must find her guilty.
Among the seven articles of impeachment against Duterte was her threat to have President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez assassinated.
The other articles include the alleged misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education which she headed for over two years.