Senators hold caucus to prep for VP Sara’s impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — Senators gathered for a caucus on Friday to iron out details ahead of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, July 6.

The caucus was attended by Senate leadership — including Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente “Tito” Sotto III—alongside Senators Panfilo Lacson, Risa Hontiveros, JV Ejercito, Erwin Tulfo, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Loren Legarda, and Robin Padilla.

Only Legarda and Padilla belong to the minority group.

READ: Sara Duterte impeach trial: Prosecutors seek leeway to show evidence

“Its all about impeachment,” Tulfo told reporters.

Asked if the filing of plunder case against opposition Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was discussed during the caucus, Tulfo reiterated that they only focused on the impeachment topic.

“We only discussed the impeachment,” he said. “We were given documents to follow the sequencing. That’s it.”

Tulfo also declined to say if the issue on who will preside over the trial was tackled during the meeting.

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Before the caucus, however, a senator speculated that the minority group was opposed to the possibility of Escudero presiding over the trial.

“It appears that the minority is opposed,” said the senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The upper chamber has amended the impeachment rules to allow other senators, other than the Senate president to preside over the proceedings.

READ: VP Sara Duterte trial: 4 of 5 Filipinos doubt senators will stick to evidence

The previous rules explicitly stated that the Senate president should preside in all other cases of impeachment, except when the president of the Philippines is on trial.

The amended rules still designates the Senate president as the presiding officer “unless the Senate, by a majority vote of the members present, elects another senator as the presiding officer.” /mr

READ: Amended rules allow other senators to preside over impeachment trials

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