SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson said Saturday he will oppose any attempt to stop or delay the Senate from convening as an impeachment court for the case of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson emphasized that the Senate has a constitutional obligation to act on impeachment cases transmitted by the House of Representatives and said existing legal mechanisms are available to address disputes that may arise during the process.
”For context, I did not say I will not oppose and vote against any motion to stop or delay the convening of the Senate into an impeachment court, if it comes to that,” Lacson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
”That said, the Senate is a collegial, deliberative body that is always ruled by the vote of the majority,” he added.
Lacson noted that the Supreme Court could intervene if constitutional issues emerge regarding the Senate’s duty to convene as an impeachment court.
”If this constitutional issue arises, the Supreme Court may intervene to compel the Senate to perform our constitutional duty,” he said.
Lacson stressed that opposing any attempt to delay the Senate’s convening should not be interpreted as prejudging the impeachment case against the vice president.
He added that his position pertains solely to upholding the Senate’s constitutional mandate and does not indicate whether he would eventually vote to convict or acquit Duterte.
”This position to oppose any attempt to block the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court has nothing to do with my decision to convict or acquit the respondent, as I will always be guided by the evidence to be presented and nothing else,” Lacson said.
Under the 1987 Constitution, the Senate has the sole power to try and decide impeachment cases once articles of impeachment are transmitted by the House of Representatives. Senators serve as senator-judges during impeachment proceedings, while conviction requires a two-thirds vote of all Senate members.
Speaking during the May 6 Kapihan sa Senado forum, Lacson said senators must be prepared to address possible procedural and constitutional questions surrounding any impeachment proceedings.
He cited a hypothetical scenario in which a motion could be raised seeking to stop the Senate from convening as an impeachment court, with the matter ultimately subjected to a vote among senators.
”The ones who move to stop the convening into an impeachment court must be able to convince the majority to vote in their favor,” Lacson said.
”The impeachment trial is a constitutional duty,” he added.
Lacson noted that senators supporting any effort to block the impeachment court would need to justify their position before the public.
”If that happens, it’s on them. They must explain to the people why they don’t want the Senate to convene into an impeachment court,” he said.
