Senators don impeachment robes

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate plenary bled Oxford crimson on Tuesday when it convened as a court for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

As part of their mandate, senator-judges wore their respective impeachment robes in Oxford crimson, which is the Senate’s official color.

READ: Impeachment court sends Sara Duterte case back to House

All 23 senators were present at the chamber’s plenary hall when they convened into a court—but among all the senator-judges, three stood out.

READ: ‘All sewn:’ Sara Duterte impeachment trial robes ready for senator-judges

These are senator-judges Robin Padilla, Cynthia Villar, and Imee Marcos, who did not wear any robes.

“Hindi kasya eh (It does not fit),” said Padilla when he was asked why he was not wearing one. He did not detail whether or not he was able to order a robe or at least had gotten his measurements for such a piece.

Villar and Marcos, who were also asked by reporters in a brief ambush interview, simply told reporters that they do not have robes.

Earlier, Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug said the Senate’s budget for the trial would be “very, very minimal,” as the chamber would just be spending essentially on the robes and access passes for visitors.

The robe, for instance, costs around P7,000 each.

In an unexpected turn of events, the senator-judges took their oath and subsequently agreed to convene into an impeachment court on Tuesday.

This is ahead of the initial schedule agreed upon by senators at the plenary on Monday, which sets the convening date on June 11. /cb