Gatchalian: I should preside over impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian maintained that he should still preside over the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking to dzMM yesterday, Gatchalian cited the Senate Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, which state that the Senate chief presides over all trials except that of the country’s president.

“Under our rules, it’s the Senate president who presides. I should preside,” Gatchalian said.

When asked about a reported plan to elect another presiding officer, he acknowledged that their impeachment rules had been amended, allowing the senator-judges to vote who among themselves should preside over the proceedings.

“If that’s what the majority wants, then we will elect or designate someone else,” Gatchalian said.

All is set for the Monday start of trial, with security preparations in place, even a power back-up plan to keep their generators running, the Senate President said.

“We are heavily preparing for the trial. Like I told our security cluster, it’s better to be overprepared than underprepared,” he said.

He said he has brushed up on the Senate rules to better prepare himself for the political trial, adding that he does not need a lawyer beside him to guide him.

Gatchalian said he expects all senators to attend the trial, including minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who has criticized the new leadership’s takeover.

However, for some of his colleagues facing charges such as Jinggoy Estrada, who is detained for plunder by the Sandiganbayan, and Ronald dela Rosa, a fugitive wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, Gatchalian said they may not be able to physically attend the trial.

With only 22 of 24 senators expected to participate, Gatchalian said he would rather not comment if the threshold to convict – at two thirds of all members – should be lowered from the current 16 of 24 because of the existing setup.

He said the issue of threshold to convict will not be discussed on Monday.