Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday proposed a practical schedule to help the Senate balance its legislative work and the impeachment trial, should the House transmit to it the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Under Lacson’s proposal, impeachment proceedings would be held on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 3 p.m., while sessions would be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Ang suggestion ko, gawin natin ang impeachment trial MWF, 3 p.m. up. Tapos ang TTH, gawin nating meron tayong session. Para lahat ng umaga libre tayo sa committee hearings para hindi ma-imperil ang legislative work sa Senate (I suggested to the Senate President that we hold the impeachment trial on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 3 p.m. onwards. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we can hold sessions. The mornings can be used for committee hearings so the Senate’s legislative work will not be imperiled),” he said in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson Nagmungkahi ng Praktikal na Iskedyul para Mabalanse ang Gawain ng Senado at Impeachment Trial
Lacson said the proposed setup could gain the consensus of the senators, preventing the Senate from being “paralyzed” if the impeachment hearings were held daily or scheduled alongside Senate sessions.
He added this will also give senators enough time to review and prepare for both the impeachment trial and legislative work.
“Ibigay natin ang umaga sa ating mga kasamahan para makapag review makapaghanda at sa lahat. Para hindi rin mapahamak ang ating committee hearings (We should give the mornings to the senators to review and prepare, while not affecting hearings of the committees),” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson debunked speculations about who among the 24 potential senator-judges are “sure” to convict the Vice President, as he reiterated he will be guided by the evidence.
“Too many speculations, some nonsensical about who among the 24 senator-judges are sure to convict or acquit VP Sara Duterte once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate. To them I say – only the evidence can speak for me and many of my colleagues and no one else,” he said in a post on X.
Too many speculations, some nonsensical about who among the 24 senator-judges are sure to convict or acquit VP Sara Duterte once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate. To them I say – only the evidence can speak for me and many of my colleagues and no one else
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) April 17, 2026
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Lacson Nagmungkahi ng Praktikal na Iskedyul para Mabalanse ang Gawain ng Senado at Impeachment Trial
Nagmungkahi si Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes ng praktikal na schedule upang matulungan ang Senado na mabalanse ang mga trabahong lehislatibo at ang impeachment trial, kung sakaling na ma-transmit ng Kamara sa Senado ang impeachment case laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Sa ilalim ng mungkahi ni Lacson, isasagawa ang impeachment proceedings tuwing Lunes, Miyerkules, at Biyernes simula alas-3 ng hapon, habang gaganapin naman ang mga sesyon tuwing Martes at Huwebes.
“Ang suggestion ko, gawin natin ang impeachment trial MWF, 3 p.m. up. Tapos ang TTH, gawin nating meron tayong session. Para lahat ng umaga libre tayo sa committee hearings para hindi ma-imperil ang legislative work sa Senate,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
Sinabi ni Lacson na maaaring makuha ng panukalang setup ang consensus ng mga senador, para hindi ma-“paralyze” ang Senado kung araw-araw gagawin ang impeachment hearings o kung isasabay ito sa mga sesyon.
Dagdag niya, magbibigay rin ito ng sapat na oras sa mga senador upang makapag-review at makapaghanda para sa parehong impeachment trial at mga gawaing lehislatibo.
“Ibigay natin ang umaga sa ating mga kasamahan para makapag review makapaghanda at sa lahat. Para hindi rin mapahamak ang ating committee hearings,” aniya.
Samantala, pinabulaanan ni Lacson ang mga spekulasyon kung sino sa 24 na potential senator-judges ang tiyak na magko-convict sa Bise Presidente. Iginiit muli niya na ebidensya ang magiging batayan niya.
“Too many speculations, some nonsensical about who among the 24 senator-judges are sure to convict or acquit VP Sara Duterte once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate. To them I say – only the evidence can speak for me and many of my colleagues and no one else,” aniya sa kanyang X account.
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