The Senate may convene as an impeachment court immediately after receiving the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, but the trial proper may not begin until June, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said that while Senate President Vicente Sotto III wants to convene the impeachment court at once, at least three weeks may be needed for procedures such as the issuance of summons and reply, and a preliminary conference for purposes of stipulations and possible marking of evidence before the trial starts.
“Once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to us, if we follow the processes, we’re talking of at least three weeks before the actual trial starts,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Maaaring sa Hunyo pa Magsimula ang Posibleng VP Impeachment Trial
He said the preliminary conference or “pre-trial” may involve the Senate President or his legal adviser defining what issues may be taken up during the trial.
Lacson recalled that the impeachment trial of the late former Chief Justice Renato Corona was marked by confusion due to the absence of an early pre-trial process, which led to the introduction of “surprise” witnesses midway through proceedings.
“I recall that during the trial of Corona, there was no preliminary conference, so there was some confusion during the trial because ‘surprise’ witnesses were introduced. So it is better to have a preliminary conference where the prosecution and defense agree on which issues would be tackled and which would not before the trial,” he said.
On the possibility of a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court, Lacson said the Impeachment Court will meet to discuss, and if necessary, vote on what action to take.
“I believe that so long as the Supreme Court does not issue a TRO, the trial will continue. But if it compels us, we will discuss the matter. The impeachment court is a constitutional body and the Supreme Court has said it respects not only the Senate but the impeachment court as co-equal. The impeachment court’s decision cannot be appealed even before the Supreme Court. It is final,” he said.
“I am not saying that it is an option to ignore the TRO. But we must discuss and vote on it. We will always make decisions based on the majority,” he added.
On the preparations for the possible impeachment trial, Lacson said the senators held a meeting last Thursday to discuss the matter.
He said those who attended were reminded to “act like judges” and not appear partial to the prosecution or defense. Lacson said Sen. Robinhood Padilla, a member of the minority bloc, attended the meeting and was asked to relay this to his minority bloc colleagues.
“We must listen to the questions during direct and cross-examination, and base our decisions on the evidence,” he said.
Lacson also said that while he is preparing for the possible trial by taking crash courses, he will also rely on his experience as a senator judge in the trial of former Chief Justice Corona – and as a witness during his law enforcer days.
“I joked that I do have experience in court not as a lawyer but as a witness. When I was a law enforcer, I took the stand as a witness or arresting officer – or even an accused,” he said in jest.
Lacson also said some P27 million may be available for the impeachment trial, as only P512,000 of the P27.544 million allocated in the 2025 budget for last year’s impeachment complaint was spent for 60 senator-judges’ robes as well as IDs and other items.
“The amount is under the continuing appropriations in the 2025 budget. It may be used this year. If not, the amount will be treated as savings and returned to the treasury,” he said.
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Lacson: Maaaring sa Hunyo pa Magsimula ang Posibleng VP Impeachment Trial
Maaaring mag-convene agad ang Senado bilang impeachment court sa sandaling matanggap nito ang Articles of Impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, ngunit maaaring sa Hunyo pa magsimula ang mismong paglilitis, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ani Lacson, bagama’t nais ni Senate President Vicente Sotto III na agad mag-convene ang impeachment court, maaaring kailanganin ng hindi bababa sa tatlong linggo para sa mga proseso tulad ng pagpapadala ng summons at reply, at preliminary conference para sa stipulations at posibleng “marking of evidence” bago magsimula ang trial.
“Kailangan ma-transmit muna sa amin ang Articles of Impeachment. Kung susundin natin ang ganoong proseso, hindi ganoon kadali yan. We’re talking of at least three weeks siguro bago talaga makapagsimula ang trial, at the very least,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM radio.
Sinabi niya na ang preliminary conference o “pre-trial” ay maaaring isagawa ng Senate President o ng kanyang legal adviser upang tukuyin kung anu-anong mga isyu ang pwedeng tatalakayin sa paglilitis.
Binalikan ni Lacson ang impeachment trial ng yumaong dating Chief Justice Renato Corona, na aniya’y nagkaroon ng kalituhan dahil sa kawalan ng maagang pre-trial, na nagresulta sa pagpasok ng mga “surprise” na testigo sa kalagitnaan ng paglilitis.
“Ang natandaan ko noong panahon ng trial ni former Chief Justice Corona, hindi nagkaroon ng preliminary conference. So bandang gitna nang nagkagulo-gulo, kung anu-ano napasok na testigo doon lang nagsagawa ng preliminary conference or pretrial. So mas mainam sa simula pa lang maliwanag na anong tatalakayin sa trial, ang tinanggap na ng magkabilang panig. Di na yan paguusapan at pagdedebatehan ng prosecution and defense,” aniya.
Kaugnay ng posibilidad na maglabas ng temporary restraining order (TRO) ang Korte Suprema, sinabi ni Lacson na magpupulong ang Impeachment Court upang talakayin ito – at kung kinakailangan, pagbotohan ang nararapat na hakbang.
“Palagay ko hanggang walang ini-issue na TRO, tuloy-tuloy ang pagdinig, ang trial. Unless i-compel kami. At yan paguusapan namin yan. Ang impeachment court ay constitutional body yan at sinabi ng SC ginagalang nila coequal not only the Senate kundi also mismong impeachment court. Ang decision ng impeachment court is unappealable. Di pwede itong iapela sa SC. Final yan,” aniya.
“Hindi ko sinasabing option (na hindi sundin ang TRO). Pero kailangang pagusapan namin at pagbotohan namin. We will always make decisions based on the majority,” dagdag niya.
Sa paghahanda para sa posibleng impeachment trial, sinabi ni Lacson na nagsagawa ng pulong ang mga senador noong Huwebes upang talakayin ang usapin.
Ayon sa kanya, pinaalalahanan ang mga dumalo na mag-“act like judges” at iwasang magmukhang kumikiling sa prosecution o defense. Dagdag pa niya, dumalo si Sen. Robinhood Padilla, miyembro ng minority bloc, at inatasang iparating ang paalalang ito sa kanyang mga kasamahan.
“At kami makikinig lang kami sa mga tanong na direkta at cross examination at doon kami magbabase ng aming decision kung ano ang evidence na tingin namin makaka-guide sa amin kung kami ba ay magko-convict or mag-a-acquit,” ani Lacson.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na habang naghahanda siya para sa posibleng paglilitis sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng crash courses, aasa rin siya sa kanyang karanasan bilang senator-judge sa Corona trial at bilang testigo noong siya ay alagad ng batas.
“Nagbiro ako kamakalawa, na kung experience nila sa korte paguusapan baka mas experienced ako sa kanila di bilang lawyer kundi either witness kasi noong law enforcer ako, malimit akong natatawag sa witness stand bilang testigo, arresting officer o kung hindi naman, bilang akusado,” aniya.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, may humigit-kumulang P27 milyon na maaaring magamit para sa impeachment trial, dahil P512,000 pa lamang sa P27.544 milyong inilaan sa 2025 budget para sa nakaraang impeachment complaint ang nagastos—para sa robes ng 60 senator-judges, IDs, at iba pang kagamitan.
“Under continuing appropriations yan. So maski na-appropriate sa 2025, meron pa silang one year, buong 2026 para magamit. Kung di magamit, magiging savings yan at ibabalik sa treasury,” aniya.
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