Senators-elect Weigh In on Upcoming Role in Impeachment Trial

New senators of the 20th Congress attended their photo shoots and orientation yesterday as they weighed in on their soon-to-be roles as senator-judges in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

- By MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Outgoing ACT-CIS congressman and senator-elect Erwin Tulfo shared in an interview what he heard from his colleagues in the 19th Congress: the House will refile the Articles of Impeachment during the 20th Congress.

Tulfo questioned the move though because this may violate the constitutional one-year ban on initiating impeachment complaints.

"I think that the House will refile it. That's what I heard from my colleagues. They'll refile it with the 20th Congress," said Tulfo, who did not join the 215 House members who signed the impeachment complaint due to his bid then to run and later win - as senator.

"Before all this, what they said was, if it is remanded, they will refile it. I don't know how they will do it. I still don't understand. I know that there's a one-year ban. Let us wait and see where we go after that," Tulfo said.

He also expressed belief the impeachment case can cross over from the 19th Congress to the 20th Congress, amid views that this might lead to questions of jurisdiction.

Former Senate president Tito Sotto felt a tinge of nostalgia as he explained his feeling of being back in the Senate on a historic fifth term.

"Been there, done that.

Looking forward to trying to get back to the old feel of the Senate," Sotto said.