MANILA: The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is expected to start in July, according to Senator Erwin Tulfo (pic).
“There was already a schedule given yesterday (when) SP (Senate President Alan Peter) Cayetano called a caucus of all members. The impeachment trial will begin on July 6,” Tulfo said in a television interview on Thursday (May 21).
“Every Monday, we’ll have a session from 10am to 1pm and then from 2 o’clock to sawa [continuously] on Mondays, that’s the impeachment trial. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, the same thing–starting at 3 o’clock in the afternoon until evening. And then Thursdays, we will have hearings, committee hearings,” he added.
Tulfo also said that many senators in the minority bloc do not agree to the proposal of Sen Rodante Marcoleta to allow Sen Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa to participate in the impeachment trial virtually or through teleconferencing for now.
“Many of us, we in the minority, will not agree to that. He has to be physically present,” he said.
“That was allowed during the pandemic. The rules were allowed because … there were lockdowns. Now, everything is okay, so his presence is needed in the Senate,” Tulfo added.
Marcoleta earlier moved to amend the Senate rules to “allow a senator for justifiable reasons to attend and participate in the session through teleconference, video conference, or other reliable forms of remote or electronic means, using appropriate information and communications technology.”
His manifestation remains pending before the Senate committee on rules where it was referred. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
