Majority senators hold caucus ahead of Sara Duterte impeachment trial opening

Majority senators on Monday held a caucus hours ahead of the commencement of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Among the expected issues to be discussed during the caucus is the possible election of a presiding officer for the proceedings, which would determine whether Duterte will remain in office.

"We'll make a decision. It's a caucus," Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri told reporters in a chance interview.

The Senate is scheduled to convene as an impeachment court at 2 p.m. Earlier, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed that he would preside over the impeachment trial.

This comes after Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said members of the majority bloc have initially agreed to elect Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court that will try Duterte's case.

"Like I said, nasa rules natin na Senate President and magpe-preside," Gatchalian said.

(Like I said, our rules state that the Senate President will preside.)

Under the current Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, the Senate President presides over impeachment cases. However, proposed Senate Resolution 430 seeks to amend the rule by allowing the Senate to elect a senator as presiding officer through a majority vote of members present.

Duterte is facing impeachment charges over allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes.

In May, she was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time.

The Senate then convened as an impeachment court on May 18.

On June 1, Duterte's camp filed its answer to the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President, asking the court to junk the impeachment case against her. — VDV, GMA News