MANILA, Philippines — Except for Senate President Chiz Escudero, the senators will take their oath this Tuesday afternoon as judges in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Escudero, a lawyer by profession, has taken his oath as presiding officer for the impeachment trial.
Escudero is expected to convene the Senate as impeachment court on Wednesday, June 11, amid calls from some senators allied with Duterte to dismiss the case for lack of time.
Sen. Joel Villanueva said the senators’ taking of oath would merely constitute the court but not automatically convene it.
“[The] convening the court will be on Wednesday wherein part of the agenda would include issuing of summons, etc.,” Villanueva said in a text message. “Again, everything is possible and the plenary is supreme. But yesterday the motion to constitute the impeachment court was approved and that senator-judges will take their oath,” he said.
“Can the plenary overturn it? Yes. Can the plenary modify and say, ‘Lets convene the court today.’ The answer is, yes,” Villanueva added.
