MANILA – Senate President Francis Escudero announced on Friday that he would consult with fellow senators regarding Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III’s proposal to hold an all-member caucus to discuss the timing of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, potentially starting in March.
Escudero emphasized that while he would gather feedback from colleagues, he disagreed with Pimentel’s suggestion to begin the trial during the Senate’s recess. “I do not believe we can start the trial while we are not in session simply by agreeing among ourselves. This could bring our actions into question before the courts,” Escudero said, stressing the importance of following proper procedures.
Pimentel had proposed that the impeachment proceedings move forward without needing a special session from the President, citing the Senate’s authority to act on the matter as an impeachment court. He argued that such a session is not required for impeachment trials, as it only applies to joint sessions of Congress.
Escudero also addressed allegations from 1Sambayan convenor and law professor Howard Calleja, who accused him of a “constitutional breach” for not promptly addressing the impeachment case. Calleja criticized Escudero’s decision to adjourn the Senate session early, despite having two days left in the legislative calendar, claiming that the Senate should act “forthwith” on the impeachment.
Escudero rebutted these claims, saying, “I will not dignify partisan legal opinions. I will follow the law and what I believe to be fair.”
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