00:00The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will proceed in due time and should not be rushed at all.
00:07A date on the first weekend of June thereabouts is most likely after the winners of the midterm polls shall have been announced
00:14to include the new senatorial lineup of the 20th Congress of the Republic as our Daniel Malastas reports.
00:22After this pronouncement from Senate President Francis Escudero yesterday,
00:26In order for the impeachment court to convene, the Senate must have a session.
00:31In order for the impeachment judges to pass, the Senate must have a session.
00:37Even though the trial can proceed even if it is recessed,
00:42just like what happened to the former Chief Justice Corona,
00:47this should start, convene, and have the judges pass when there is a session.
00:54So if there will be an action, this will happen on June 2, when the Senate will resume.
01:03The question now is it allowed to have a special session to start the ball rolling on the impeachment trial?
01:10Former Senate President Franklin Drilon said,
01:13the remedy is the President can call Congress to a special session for the Senate to perform its constitutional duty acting as an impeachment court.
01:23He added that calling Congress to a special session to tackle the impeachment complaint
01:28is the sole prerogative of the President who cannot be questioned even by the Supreme Court.
01:34But Senate President Francis Escudero asked,
01:37why and what is the problem and what is there to remedy?
01:41Escudero said the session resumes on June 2 and vows to take the impeachment up after approving their impeachment rules.
01:49Meanwhile, another question floated is, in case of impeachment conviction, who replaces the Vice President?
02:20Senator Joel Villanueva echoed Escudero, insisting impeachment should not be rushed.
02:27It's just saddening that some of our comrades in the House,
02:33their statements, I think they should be very careful with their statements.
02:37Especially the running Senators.
02:40From PTV Manila, Daniel Manalastas, Balitang Papansa.
