Senate of the Philippines. Photo courtesy of PNA.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said Thursday the Senate would not ask the Sandiganbayan to lift the preventive suspension of detained Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
Gatchalian said the chamber had no legal standing to seek relief from the anti-graft court because it was not a party to the case.
The Sandiganbayan earlier ordered Estrada suspended for 90 days over graft and plunder charges linked to the flood control scandal.
Estrada’s suspension raised questions on the number of senator-judges needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial.
Gatchalian said he would follow the Constitution, which requires 16 votes to convict an impeached official.
He said the threshold would remain the same regardless of the number of senator-judges present.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier said Estrada could ask the court for permission to attend the impeachment trial under escort by Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, had yet to discuss how to handle Estrada’s situation.
