Aside from electing a Presiding Officer, the Impeachment Court trying the case of Vice President Sara Duterte may designate an Impeachment Manager to ensure the smooth flow of the proceedings, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.
Lacson said the Impeachment Manager would act as a “quarterback” who will assist the Presiding Officer, similar to the role of the Majority Leader in the Senate.
“Titingnan namin kung pwede makapagtalaga rin kami ng isang Impeachment Manager. Yan ang pwede para mag-quarterback kung overwhelmed ang Presiding Officer, pero may nag-assist sa floor. Parang siya ang conductor sa floor, ika nga, parang majority leader (We are studying appointing an Impeachment Manager to quarterback the proceedings especially if the Presiding Officer is overwhelmed. The Impeachment Manager’s role would be similar to that of the Majority Leader),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Maaaring Magtalaga ang Impeachment Court ng Impeachment Manager
He said that while the majority bloc is eyeing Sen. Francis Escudero as Presiding Officer, it is also considering Sen. Francis Pangilinan as Impeachment Manager. Both Escudero and Pangilinan are lawyers, he noted.
But he also pointed out that the election of the Presiding Officer would be on July 6, when the Impeachment Court convenes for the trial.
“The Presiding Officer is just one vote, he can be overruled by (the other senator judges) on the floor,” Lacson added.
Meanwhile, Lacson voiced concern over the possible “absurdity” of the Impeachment Court being reduced to a mere formality for acquittal if at least nine of 24 Senator-Judges were detained and suspended by the Sandiganbayan as in the case of Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, who the anti-graft court preventively suspended last Tuesday.
Lacson said the Supreme Court may need to intervene to address the situation. He pointed out that while the Supreme Court cannot intervene in the operation of the Impeachment Court, it can do so if the issue of grave abuse of authority is raised.
“Yan na nga ang posibleng absurdity na mangyari, assuming na at least nine senator-judges ang ma-suspend. The trial will be a mere formality for acquittal. I’d rather leave it to the wisdom of the Court to come up with a practical necessity to intervene,” he said in a post on X.
Yan na nga ang posibleng absurdity na mangyari, assuming na at least 9 senator-judges ang ma-suspend. The trial will be a mere formality for acquittal. I’d rather leave it to the wisdom of Court to come up with a practical necessity to intervene.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) June 16, 2026
“Ano ang saysay na impeachment trial kung 15 lang yung senator judges na present at pwedeng bumoto? Ano saysay? Sabi ko, formality na ang acquittal, bakit pa tayo mag-trial? So diyan dapat mag-intervene ng Korte Suprema (For what will the impeachment trial be for if only 15 senator judges can vote, and 16 votes are needed to convict? The trial could be reduced to a formality for acquittal. So the Supreme Court may need to intervene),” he added in the DZBB interview.
“Mas mainam nang sila na maginterpret yan. Dahil kung kami, maraming question, kasi pulitika yan. Samantalang ang Korte Suprema, they’re beyond politics (It is better that the Supreme Court interpret it. The Impeachment Court can have its own interpretation but many questions can be raised. But the high court is perceived to be beyond politics),” he said.
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Lacson: Maaaring Magtalaga ang Impeachment Court ng Impeachment Manager
Bukod sa paghalal ng Presiding Officer, maaaring magtalaga ang Impeachment Court na lilitis sa kaso ni Vice President Sara Duterte ng isang Impeachment Manager upang matiyak ang maayos na daloy ng mga pagdinig, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Huwebes.
Ani Lacson, magsisilbing “quarterback” ang Impeachment Manager na tutulong sa Presiding Officer, katulad ng papel na ginagampanan ng Majority Leader sa Senado.
“Titingnan namin kung pwede makapagtalaga rin kami ng isang Impeachment Manager. Yan ang pwede para mag-quarterback kung overwhelmed ang Presiding Officer, pero may nag-assist sa floor. Parang siya ang conductor sa floor, ika nga, parang majority leader,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB radio.
Aniya, habang ikinokonsidera ng majority bloc si Sen. Francis Escudero bilang Presiding Officer, pinag-aaralan din nito ang posibilidad na italaga si Sen. Francis Pangilinan bilang Impeachment Manager. Abogado sina Escudero at Pangilinan, aniya.
Ngunit ipinunto din niya na sa Hulyo 6 pa ihahalal ang Presiding Officer, kung kailan pormal na magtitipon ang Impeachment Court para sa paglilitis.
“The Presiding Officer is just one vote, he can be overruled by (the other senator judges) on the floor,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Samantala, nagpahayag si Lacson ng pag-aalala sa posibleng “absurdity” na ang Impeachment Court ay mauwi na lamang sa isang pormalidad para sa pagpapawalang-sala kung masuspinde ang hindi bababa sa siyam sa 24 na Senator-Judges tulad ng kaso ni Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, na isinailalim sa preventive suspension ng Sandiganbayan nitong Martes.
Ayon kay Lacson, maaaring kailanganing mamagitan ng Korte Suprema upang matugunan ang ganitong sitwasyon. Aniya, bagama’t hindi maaaring manghimasok ang Korte Suprema sa operasyon ng Impeachment Court, maaari itong kumilos kung maitaas ang usapin ng grave abuse of authority.
“Yan na nga ang posibleng absurdity na mangyari, assuming na at least nine senator-judges ang ma-suspend. The trial will be a mere formality for acquittal. I’d rather leave it to the wisdom of the Court to come up with a practical necessity to intervene,” aniya sa isang post sa X.
https://x.com/iampinglacson/status/2066822590379995588
“Ano ang saysay na impeachment trial kung 15 lang yung senator judges na present at pwedeng bumoto? Ano saysay? Sabi ko, formality na ang acquittal, bakit pa tayo mag-trial? So diyan dapat mag-intervene ng Korte Suprema,” dagdag niya sa panayam sa DZBB.
“Mas mainam nang sila na maginterpret yan. Dahil kung kami, maraming question, kasi pulitika yan. Samantalang ang Korte Suprema, they’re beyond politics,” aniya.
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