By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Acting Senate President and Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian said the Senate majority bloc has yet to discuss the possibility of appointing another senator to serve as presiding officer of the impeachment court in the upcoming trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a Zoom interview, Gatchalian clarified that the matter has not yet been taken up by members of the majority bloc despite ongoing speculation regarding the leadership of the impeachment proceedings.
Reports have circulated that Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, both lawyers by profession, are among the names being considered as potential presiding officers for the impeachment court.
However, Gatchalian maintained that no formal discussions have been held on the issue.
In previous interviews, Gatchalian had expressed his readiness to preside over the impeachment trial scheduled to begin on July 6, citing his designation as Acting Senate President.
Under the Senate’s impeachment rules, the Senate President traditionally serves as the presiding officer of an impeachment court. An exception is made when the President of the Philippines is the respondent, in which case the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the proceedings.
Following changes in the Senate leadership, amendments were introduced to the impeachment rules, allowing senators to vote on who will serve as presiding officer during impeachment trials.
The amended rules were officially published in newspapers on Tuesday, paving the way for their implementation ahead of the highly anticipated impeachment proceedings against Vice President Duterte.
The Senate is expected to finalize procedural matters in the coming weeks as preparations continue for the start of the impeachment trial.
ia/xf
