House execs inspect Senate preps for VP impeachment trial
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco was shown the Senate plenary hall where the proceedings for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will take place in July.
MANILA, Philippines — Preparations for the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte continue, with House Secretary General Reginald Velasco leading an ocular inspection of the Senate premises.
Velasco arrived at the Senate at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday accompanied by his colleagues in the House. When he faced the media, he was accompanied by Senate Secretary Renato Bantug.
“Pinakita ko muna kay Sec. Gen yung set up dito sa session hall, which is actually the set up that was also implemented during the last impeachment trial of the chief justice,” Bantug told reporters.
(I showed Sec. Gen the setup here at the session hall, which is actually the setup that was also implemented during the last impeachment trial of the chief justice.)
Velasco, for his part, said he went to see the facilities to be occupied by the House prosecutor and the Secretariat.
“This one is very important [the plenary]. The space for the trial itself and then, of course, two basic rooms [which will serve as a room] for our prosecutors. We have 11 prosecutors and the Secretariat support group,” said Velasco, enumerating their initial requests.
According to him, they will sit down together to assess all their requests and transmit it to Senate President Francis Escudero’s office by next week.
Senate executives show their House counterparts the podium to be used in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in July.
Podium to be use by witnesses during the trial
The House, in a historic move on Feb. 5, impeached Duterte, garnering over 200 signatures from lawmakers.
On the same day, the articles of impeachment were transmitted to the Senate, but the upper chamber adjourned its session without tackling the document.
READ: VP Sara Duterte impeachment complaint reaches Senate
To date, the document remains pending before the upper chamber, with Escudero saying that the actual trial would only start after the Fourth State of the Nation Address by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in July.
Below is the proposed timeline of the impeachment proceedings against Duterte as previously announced by the Senate chief:
READ: Escudero releases proposed calendar of Sara Duterte impeachment trial
- June 2 – Resumption of session and presentation of articles of impeachment
- June 3 – Convening of impeachment court and oathtaking of incumbent senator-judges
- June 4 – Issuance of summons
- June 14 to 24 – Reception of pleadings
- June 24 to July 25 – Pre-trial
- July 28 – Inaugural session of the Senate of the 20th Congress
- July 29 – Oathtaking of newly-elected senator-judges before sitting as an impeachment court
- July 30 – Start of trial
