Vice President Sara Duterte speaks to the media at the Office of The Vice President in Mandaluyong City on December 11, 2024, after skipping on the same day a National Bureau of Investigation probe on her remarks of having  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assassinated should she be killed. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) -- Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero sees no reason to hold a special session to hold the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The Senate President said there is no legal basis to convene the Senate and the House of Representatives right away for the impeachment trial. 

Congress is currently on a session break.

"Sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas puwedeng magpatawag ang pangulo sa anumang oras. Sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas puwede magpatawag ang speaker at senate president ng special session para magpasa ng mahahalagang panukalang batas," he said in an interview on radio station DWIZ.

READ: 5 things to know about Vice President Sara Duterte and her impeachment

"Automatic na mag-co-convene ang Senate at ang House kapagka nagdeklara ng martial law ang pangulo, kapagka bumoto ang mayorya ng gabinete na hindi na po kayang gampanan ng pangulo ang kaniyang tungkulin, kapagka natanggal ang vice president o ang pangulo at naging pangulo ang vice president kung saan kailangan pumili ng ikalawang pangulo. 'Yon lamang ang mga pagkakataong automatic na mag-co-convene ang Senado at ang Kamara."

Escudero said that according to the Constitution, special sessions are meant for an important legislative exercise.

"Upon agreement of the Speaker and the Senate President para magpasa ng mahahalagang panukalang batas… hindi binanggit ng saligang batas ang pagkakaroon ng impeachment trial," he said.

He also cited the legal processes that should be undertaken before holding the actual trial.

"Marami pang kailangang gawin rules and regulations ng impeachment  pag-re-require sa mga partidong  sumagot magsasagutan pa 'yan dadaan  sa pretrial lahat 'yan… kaya nga pretrial and hindi pa  trial. 'Yong actual na trial bago  kami dumating do'n mahaba pa ang  proseso," said Escudero.

He also said that all impeachable officials should receive the same treatment.

READ: Escudero says Sara Duterte impeachment trial can’t be done during Congress break

"Espesyal ba si VP Sara paratuhin naming espesyal ito? Tulad ng ibang impeachable officers lamang siya sa mata namin at walang dahilan para dahil sa kaniya'y madaliin ito o dahil sa kaniya ipagpaliban ito," said Escudero.

"Gagawin namin 'yong tamang dapat naming gawin ng hindi ito  minamadali pero hindi rin labis na  pinagpapaliban. Ulitin ko hindi ko papakinggan 'yong mga  afritadong gusto mong magsimula ang  trial dahil galit sila kay VP Sara dahil gusto siyang ma-impeach. Hindi ko rin papakinggan 'yong ayaw mag-trial dahil pabor sila kay VP Sara at  ayaw nilang ma-impeach siya. Partesanong mga grupo at tao 'yan na hindi dapat pinapansin kaugnay sa paggawad namin ng hustisya sa  trabaho namin bilang impeachment court."

Escudero reiterated his stance while attending the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Worldwide Vision Casting 2025 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Saturday, stressing that the Senate will handle the impeachment case against Duterte in accordance with due process and without rushing the proceedings.

"Hindi po namin trabaho na i-convict siya, di rin po namin trabaho na i-acquit siya. Trabaho po namin na tiyaking magagawaran siya ng hustisya. Trabaho po namin na tiyaking credible at kapani-paniwala at paniniwalaan ng sambayanan ang proseso," Escudero said.

"Itinalaga ang proseso na ito para papanagutin ang ating opisyal. Marapat ay simulan na ito, nang ito ay matapos. Matapos nang hindi minamadali," he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva stated that he would only agree to begin impeachment proceedings if a majority of senators request a special session.

"Wala pa po akong narinig ni isang senador na humihingi ng special session. Ako personally, 'di ako magre-request ng special session but if the president is requesting majority of our colleagues wanting a special session I have no problem with it. I'm willing to comply," he said.

-- 'Dapat pag-usapan na' --

The Senate must immediately convene to start discussing and deciding on the articles of impeachment filed against Vice President Duterte in accordance with the 1987 Constitution, one of its framers said Saturday.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the verified impeachment complaint filed by at least a third of the 306-strong House members will "constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed."

Lawyer Rene Sarmiento, a former Commission on Elections commissioner and one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution, told Teleradyo Serbisyo that the constitutional interpretation of "forthwith proceed" in this case is "immediate" action from the Senate.

"Maganda po 'yung Tagalog version ng ating Saligang Batas. Ano pong ibig sabihin ng 'forthwith proceed'? Sa Tagalog version po ay 'Dapat i-sunod kaagad'. The word is 'agad', " he said.

(The Tagalog version of our Constitution is well-written. What does 'forthwith proceed' mean? In the Tagalog version, it means 'It must be followed immediately.' The word is 'immediately'.)

The Senate adjourned for a break on Wednesday without discussing the impeachment case against Duterte. -- with a report from Izzy Lee, ABS-CBN News

READ: 1987 Constitution framer says Senate must act on VP Sara impeachment despite break

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