Pimentel on VP impeachment: I won鈥檛 do anything behind Escudero鈥檚 back
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Senate President Francis Escudero — File photos from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau
MANILA, Philippines— Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel rejected on Wednesday a suggestion for him to initiate the calling of a special session of Congress for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
It was Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro who floated the idea that Pimentel could start gathering the support of the Senate majority since he wrote a letter to Senate President Francis Escudero, urging him to immediately act on the impeachment case against Duterte.
Castro made it very clear though over Radyo 630 that her opinion did not come from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Sought for comment, Pimentel said: “I will never do anything behind the back of the Senate President.”
“All my communications to the Senate majority will be through the Senate President. We will be ‘professional’ with each other,” he added in a text message.
Article continues after this advertisementREAD: Senate majority can ask for special session on VP impeachment – Palace
Escudero has repeatedly said that a special session of Congress may only be called to tackle urgent legislative measures.
“Of course, when a special session is called, whether we agree or not, of course we will attend,” he earlier said.
Marcos, meanwhile, expressed his inclination to call for a special session if requested by the Senate.
READ: Marcos: Will call special session if asked by Senate
Before taking a break on February 5, the House of Representatives impeached Duterte with the support of 215 of 306 lawmakers. It then immediately transmitted the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the Senate, but the chamber ended its session without tackling this issue.
According to Escudero, the Senate can convene as an impeachment court when sessions resume on June 2 and start the trial after the President’s sate of the nation address in July.
READ: VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial starts after Sona – Escudero
The verdict, according to him, would likely be known by October.
Asked about this new timeline set by the Senate chief, Pimentel reiterated that the trial should commence immediately following the 1987 Constitution.
“The Constitution mentions the ‘trial’ or the start of the trial. The judgment day will be determined by the natural course of events after the trial has been commenced. It is the trial which shall proceed FORTHWITH per the Constitution,” he stressed.
