Senate to act ‘forthwith’ on VP Sara’s impeachment

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

Senate President Vicente Sotto III (Philippine News Agency/facebook)

MANILA – The Senate will act immediately on any impeachment complaint that the House of Representatives will transmit, Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured Tuesday.

Sotto said he would act “forthwith” once the articles of impeachment are received, beginning with informing the chamber and referring the matter to the Committee on Rules.

“Yes. I will act on it with dispatch. Definitely forthwith. As soon as the Senate receives it, I will inform the Senate and refer it to the Committee on Rules,” he said in a press briefing.

He said the Senate could convene as an impeachment court as early as May 4, depending on when the House of Representatives transmits the articles of impeachment.

“We have to convene as an impeachment court. So technically we may convene by May 4… if we receive the articles of impeachment, then we will immediately convene as an impeachment court,” Sotto said.

Sotto said preparations are being made so that senators would not be caught off guard if the case reaches the chamber.

“Just in case, umakyat sa atin, mabuti na nakahanda tayo, hindi pwedeng mangangapa tayo at mangangapa ang mga senador (if it reaches us, it’s best that we are prepared; we cannot be caught off guard, and the senators should not be groping in the dark),” he said.

The Senate President said he has been brushing up on the Rules of Court and impeachment procedures, with guidance from lawyers and at least two justices, to make sure Senate rules, impeachment rules, and court procedures align if a trial proceeds.

He described the effort as a continuing “crash program” that he had already started twice and expects to continue next week.

Based on past impeachment proceedings, he said the Senate may move quickly once the complaint is transmitted, while the full timeline for trial preparations would still depend on the prosecution, the defense, and the evidence to be presented.