Senate Impeachment Court to Convene on July 29

The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will begin in the next Congress as the current Senate has decided to convene as an impeachment court no earlier than July 29, the opening of the 20th Congress.

- By JANVIC MATEO

This was confirmed by lawyer Reginald Tongol, designated spokesman for the Senate in the impeachment trial of Duterte, in an interview with "Storycon" on One News last night.

He said Senate President Francis Escudero, the presiding officer of the court, "is actually targeting convening on July 29."

Escudero said at an earlier press briefing that the schedule of the impeachment trial would be up to the 20th Congress.

Although winners in the midterm elections will assume office on June 30, the 20th Congress will only formally open in the morning of July 28. Leadership changes may happen as lawmakers are expected to vote on who will occupy key posts.

President Marcos will then address both chambers in his fourth State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa in the afternoon. Official business in both chambers may then be tackled the following day.

"There is still a second compliance that the impeachment court is waiting for from the House of Representatives," Tongol said.

He was referring to the impeachment court's directive for the next House of Representatives to issue a certification that it is willing to pursue Duterte's prosecution.

The first order, which the House already submitted to the impeachment court, sought confirmation that the filing of the Articles of Impeachment complied with constitutional requirements.

Tongol also maintained that senator-judges did not "throw back" the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the House of Representatives.

While the word "remand" was in the motion previously approved by the impeachment court, he said later deliberations among the senator-judges clarified their intent.

"In order for the proceedings to be shortened, it was conceded among the senator-judges to not anymore use the word 'remand,' but to make it 'return' or 'refer back,'" he said.