MANILA — One of the framers of the 1987 Constitution said Thursday Senators Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino "should recuse themselves" from the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

This, after Dela Rosa disclosed on Wednesday a resolution seeking to drop the impeachment trial proceedings in the Senate.

"Senators Dela Rosa and Tolentino seem to have already prejudged the case. Judges derive their legitimacy from their independence. The Senate is now functioning as a judicial body, but if some of them have already made up their minds, they should recuse themselves," 1987 Constitution framer Atty. Christian Monsod said.

"They should no longer take part in the proceedings because they've already prejudged it. Where is their integrity?" he continued.

This also comes after Tolentino said on Thursday that the vice president's impeachment trial should not carry over to the 20th Congress.