Afternoon impeach trial eyed next month

MANILA, Philippines — Senators from the majority bloc are willing to go overtime by holding regular legislative sessions in the morning and Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial in the afternoon up to midnight.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson revealed this consensus in the majority bloc’s group chat as the impeachment trial flips its current schedule from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. starting next month.

They can even go up to 11 p.m. or close to midnight so they could comply with the agreed one witness per day rule, Lacson said over radio dwIZ yesterday.

The new schedule will take effect next week to allow the senators, prosecution and defense to maximize their time grilling witnesses, instead of being cut short in the afternoon to give way to the legislative sessions at 3 p.m.

“Among us in the majority bloc, that is the common sentiment,” Lacson said.

“We could extend beyond the 7:30 p.m. adjournment and up to 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. if needed,” he added.

Lacson said the new “practical” schedule is “almost a certainty” and that even members of the minority bloc welcome the idea.

“It’s more practical,” he said, noting that with the new schedule, regular plenary sessions will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lacson, however, said the new schedule is open to changes if the situation calls for.

The impeachment may announce the new schedule tomorrow or Wednesday.

Defense ready

The defense panel is ready for the new schedule once it is put in place.

“The defense will comply with whatever schedule the impeachment court may decide upon,” defense spokesman Michael Poa said.

“We are prepared to proceed in accordance with the court’s directives,” Poa added.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said it was Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri who first proposed the new schedule.

He said the “one to sawa” schedule will allow the court to make up for the cancelled trial dates due to the inclement weather the past two weeks and even finish the trial before year-end.

But Lacson said the trial could extend up to next year because of the number of witnesses to be presented in the four Articles of Impeachment on alleged bribery, confidential funds misuse, hidden wealth and grave threats.

On the renewed calls to lower the number to convict at 16 out of the 24 senators due to the absence of some senators, Lacson said it can only happen if a petition is filed before the Supreme Court.

The absent senators are Ronald dela Rosa, who is in hiding while facing charges before the International Criminal Court; Jinggoy Estrada, who is detained by the Sandiganbayan for plunder over alleged flood control kickbacks; Rodante Marcoleta, also in detention for plunder over undeclared campaign funds and Loren Legarda, who is out of the country on medical leave.

“A lot of things can happen,” said Lacson.

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