MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he would act "forthwith" if ever the House of Representatives (HOR) would elevate to the Senate the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The senator said he has been reviewing the rules of court and the Senate rules on impeachment so that he would be ready for any eventuality.
The Senate serves as the impeachment court to try and decide on any complaint to unseat the president and vice president and other impeachable officers of the land.
The Constitution states that "trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed" once an impeachment case is elevated to the upper house.
"I will act on it with dispatch. Definitely forthwith. I know what the meaning of forthwith is," Sotto said in a press briefing.
"As soon as the Senate receives it, I will inform the Senate and refer it to the Committee on Rules," he said.
The Senate adjourned session on March 21 for the holy week break and would resume on May 4.
"We have to convene as an impeachment court. So, technically, we may convene by May 4. That's just two weeks away. So, we may be able to do that," Sotto said.
The Senate chief recently hosted a dinner with some fellow senators to discuss the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Duterte before the HOR Committee on Justice.
"But then again, as presiding officer, I made sure that I will review the rules of court. I am being helped by a number of lawyers and at the very least two justices that are giving me a very good perspective of what to expect," Sotto said.
"Because there are issues that the presiding officer may throw to the body or there may be an objection from any of the members that we should be able to know how to address these objections," he added.
Sotto also implored fellow senator-judges "to be impartial in and out of the court" as some of them are allied with Duterte.
"In the discharge of duties, a judge shall not only be impartial but must also appear to be impartial," Sotto said.
