Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said he expected senators from both the majority and minority blocs to attend Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial when it opens Monday.
Gatchalian said senators have a duty to sit as judges in the impeachment court and personally follow the proceedings.
He said their presence would allow them to listen to the presentation of evidence and participate by questioning witnesses, prosecutors or defense lawyers.
Gatchalian also said the impeachment trial should not be used to revisit the leadership dispute in the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano earlier warned that the fairness of the trial could be affected while the Supreme Court has yet to rule on his petition questioning the June 3 session that made Gatchalian Senate President.
Gatchalian said questions involving the Senate leadership should be raised before the chamber acting as a legislative body, not before the impeachment court.
He said senators who still wanted to discuss the matter could do so during regular session, including through privilege speeches.
Gatchalian said the participation of minority senators Loren Legarda and Robin Padilla in last week’s all-senator caucus was important, adding that the trial could proceed as long as the impeachment court had a quorum.