Defensor: Constitution says VP Duterte impeachment trial must begin 'immediately'

Manila Bulletin

If the 1987 Constitution is followed to the letter, then the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President must start immediately, Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor said in a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 6.  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/2/6/defensor-constitution-says-vp-duterte-impeachment-trial-must-begin-immediately  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manilabulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00For sure, and definitely, our preparation will continue.

00:07We will continue to strategize how to approach the trial.

00:11We will also have an information campaign for our fellow citizens so that they can understand

00:17the process of impeachment, to simplify it so that every citizen can understand the process.

00:25We will try to plan every article of impeachment

00:31in a simple, clear way for the citizens and those who will be judged in the Senate.

00:54We will interpret forthwith how early they will act.

00:59We will respect that.

01:01But hopefully, this process will continue because this is the perfect opportunity for all parties,

01:10especially the Vice President.

01:12This is the perfect opportunity for her to be given due process,

01:16for a chance to lay down the evidence in her favor and to clarify things during the trial.

01:23What will you ask?

01:25If the Senate convenes as an impeachment court in June and the time is up,

01:32will it pass the next Congress?

01:36It's possible, and yes, we will leave it to the Senate and to the rules of the impeachment court

01:42because what adjourned yesterday was our legislative calendar.

01:47It means that we finished exercising our legislative power as Congress and as Senate.

01:54An impeachment process is a sui generis or a class of its own.

02:00This process is different and it's not part of the legislative process.

02:05It's up to the Senate how they interpret that.

02:09And since it is not part of the legislative process,

02:12we can say that they can convene any time that they are ready without waiting for session to open on June 2.

02:19And since it is not part of the legislative process, their rules may state that it may cross over to the next Congress.

02:27I heard the Senate President's interview earlier this morning,

02:32and he said that they will prepare first, and we respect that.

02:38And they have to update their own rules of impeachment, and we also respect that.

02:43So we leave it up to the Senate as a separate body and as an impartial body

02:49to be judges in the impeachment court how they will proceed with the impeachment process.

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