Sara Impeachment Trial May Not Cross Into 20th Congress - Sotto

ment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte can continue into the 20th Congress.

- By Neil Jayson Servallos

Senator-elect Vicente Sotto III, one of the authors of the Senate's impeachment rules, said conflicting interpretations of Senate rules raise doubts on whether the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte can continue into the 20th Congress.

He noted that under the Senate rules, any unfinished business—including committee reports and bills—dies after adjournment sine die, scheduled on June 13.

"That's clear in the Senate rules and consistent with the Constitution," Sotto said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum yesterday.

However, the Impeachment Rules derived from the Senate's general rules - state that once the Senate begins trying an impeachment case, it must proceed "forthwith" and continue until a decision is rendered.