Senate impeachment court to convene once articles received on Sara Duterte -Sotto

The Senate will convene as an impeachment court upon receipt of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte from the House of Representatives.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III on Monday said that under the Constitution, senators are mandated to convene as an impeachment court "forthwith" or immediately following the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment from the lower chamber.

However, the Senate chief clarified that the impeachment trial will "take some time," citing preparations, including pretrial proceedings.

"Based on the Constitution, automatic 'yon. Trabaho namin ’yon… Kahit na anong sabihin ng iba, ang importante ang sinasabi ng Constitution ay kami ang tatanggap ng articles of impeachment, we convene into an impeachment court," Sotto told reporters in an ambush interview.

(That is automatic based on the Constitution. Whatever others will say, it is what the Constitution mandates. We need to convene after the transmittal.)

Earlier in the day, the House Committee on Justice unanimously approved the committee report with attached resolution setting forth the articles of impeachment against Duterte, clearing the way for the House plenary vote.

Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon, a member of the House justice committee, over the weekend expressed confidence that the lower chamber can muster sufficient votes to impeach Duterte.

He said 106 votes are needed in the House plenary to impeach the second-highest official in the government.

"Sundin natin ang Konstitusyon. Ganun kasimple yon. Which is to convene. Once we receive the articles of impeachment, we must convene as the Senate impeachment court. That is part of our work. That is part of our job as senators," Sotto added.

(We need to follow the Constitution, which is to convene. Simple. Once we receive the articles of impeachment, we must convene as the Senate impeachment court. That is part of our work. That is part of our job as senators.)

Minority bloc

Senator Robinhood Padilla said the minority bloc may oppose the convening of the impeachment court, adding it is "part of their job".

"Hindi ba ang papel naman ng minority ay to oppose? Hindi lang impeachment, lahat ng bagay dito, ang trabaho namin ay i-oppose. Kaya sana huwag kaming pagbintangan na pag kami ay nag-o-oppose, kami ay biased. Trabaho ng minority 'yun. 'Yan ang parliamentary procedure na dapat naming sundin," said Padilla.

(Isn't opposing part of our job? Not only in impeachment, but in everything here. Our mandate is to oppose. We hope the public will not say we are not biased. That is the minority's job and parliamentary procedure we need to follow.)

Other minority bloc members, including Senators Jinggoy Estrada, Alan Peter Cayetano, and Imee Marcos, said they have yet to discuss the possible blocking of the convening of the impeachment court.

"Wala pa kaming napag-uusapan na ganun...Wala na akong duda. Madali kasi ''yung 1/3 [votes]," Marcos said.

(We have yet to discuss it. They will acquire 1/3 votes.) –NB, GMA News