The VP Duterte impeachment trial may commence after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Escudero stated that the trial cannot be accommodated within the current 19th Congress and will instead be handled in the 20th Congress.
He added that senators still have several legislative tasks to complete before convening as an impeachment court.
The Senate president noted that even if an emergency session were called, 20 days would not be enough to finalize preparations due to various potential challenges.
Escudero also confirmed the legitimacy of the 251 signatures from lawmakers after receiving the impeachment complaints from the House of Representatives.
On February 5, the House secured 215 signatures for the fourth impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte.
However, the Senate adjourned without addressing the impeachment matter, set to resume on June 2.