Photo courtesy of Avito Dalan- Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Senator Migz Zubiri proposed moving Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to the afternoon to give senator-judges more time to hear testimony and arguments without disrupting regular legislative work.
Zubiri suggested that Senate plenary sessions begin at 10 a.m., while impeachment proceedings start at 3 p.m. He said the arrangement could prevent testimony, presentation of evidence and cross-examination from being cut short.
Since the second regular session of the 20th Congress opened on July 27, the impeachment court has convened from 10 a.m. on Mondays through Wednesdays before giving way to the Senate’s 3 p.m. plenary session.
Zubiri noted that recent plenary sessions had lasted only two to three hours. Under his proposal, senator-judges could instead devote the afternoon and evening to the trial, potentially allowing proceedings to continue until 10 p.m. when necessary.
The Senate majority leader argued that longer, uninterrupted hearings could speed up the impeachment proceedings. He invoked the principle that delayed justice could amount to denied justice.
Presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero said the impeachment court could modify its timetable when necessary but noted that any adjustment should not be implemented abruptly. Both the prosecution and defense would have to be properly informed of scheduling changes.
Senator-judges Pia Cayetano and Camille Villar favored discussing the proposal first in a caucus. Cayetano also pointed out that Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano was absent when the scheduling issue was raised.
Zubiri hoped senator-judges could settle the matter by Wednesday. If approved, the revised timetable could be implemented when the impeachment trial resumes the following week.
