Vice President Sara Duterte composite image from Inquirer, AP file photos
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� It would be a 鈥渢ough grind鈥� but Senate Secretary Renato Bantug said he is ready to take on his new job as the Clerk of Court in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
His new designation is in accordance with a special order issued by Senate President Francis Escudero for the establishment of administrative support to the Senate when it convenes as an impeachment court.
READ: Escudero readies 鈥榓dministrative support鈥� to Senate for VP鈥檚 impeachment
鈥淚t will be tough but I think I am ready,鈥� Bantug said in a Viber message on Thursday.
鈥淚 assisted the former Secretary and the then OSP (Office of the Senate President) in the last impeachment trial and that experience is helping me a lot.聽 Pero kailangan pa rin pag handaan ng husto,鈥� he added.
As Clerk of Court, Bantug will assist the Presiding Officer in the administration of the Impeachment Court, according to Escudero鈥檚 Special Order No. 2025-015 signed on February 20.
His primary tasks include the following:
- Managing the non-judicial functions of the impeachment court,聽 including the recording and reporting of the proceedings
- Maintaining and preserving court records
- Preparing and serving notices and summons
- Preparing the court calendar and the business of the trial
- Administering oaths
- Ensuring proper reception, filing, distribution, and processing of all pleadings and submissions
鈥淚t will still be a tough grind but having foreknowledge of what鈥檚 ahead is a very big help,鈥澛犅燘antug said.
To prepare for this, he said they have been consulting lawyers so they would be 鈥済uided by the experience of those engaged in actual trial practice.鈥�
鈥淭he 鈥淩ules鈥� was adopted almost 14 years ago and there may be a need to amend certain provisions to make the Rules current,鈥� Bantug pointed out.
Following Escudero鈥檚 order, Bantug said his office has already started receiving budgetary requests for the conduct of the impeachment trial.
鈥淭here are already some, but I have to remind them that it should be for impeachment-specific/exclusive items that are not in their current inventory, such as robes, access IDs, oath books, and similar items,鈥� the Senate official said in a separate message to reporters.
Duterte was impeached by 215 House of Representatives members last February 5, prompting the transmittal of the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate on the same date.
READ: Sara Duterte impeached; House gets 215 to sign
The Senate, however, has yet to convene as an impeachment court to try the case against Duterte.