SENATE PRIBSENATE PRESIDENT Francis G. Escudero on Monday said that he was open to assigning Senate Minority Leader Aquilino L. Pimentel III to help draft the impeachment rules for the trial of Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“I welcome and thank Sen. Pimentel’s offer to help draft the proposed rules. I will instruct the legal team to coordinate with him on this matter,” Mr. Escudero said in a message to reporters.
The Senate is scheduled to reconvene for a two-week session on June 2, following a four-month break for the mid-term elections.
In a proposed calendar issued by Mr. Escudero, last week, it said that the Senate would present the articles of impeachment and approve the revised Rules on the Procedure on Impeachment Trials on June 2.
“Again, all of these (rules, calendar, etc.) are simply proposals that will have to be approved in plenary and/or by the Impeachment Court once we resume and/or convene,” he added.
Over the weekend, Mr. Pimentel said that he was willing to support the Senate’s drafting of the impeachment rules for the trial of Ms. Duterte.
The Senate President had also created an administrative support group that will assist the Senate when it convenes as an impeachment court, through Senate Special Order No. 2025-015.
The House of Representatives transmitted the articles of impeachment against Ms. Duterte to the Senate on Feb. 5, the last day of the Congressional calendar.
Among the articles of impeachment were, allegations of plotting the assassination of the President, misusing secret funds, amassing unexplained wealth and committing acts of destabilization. — Adrian H. Halili
