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Senate President Tito Sotto attends the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on anomalous flood control projects in Pasay City on January 19, 2026. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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SENATE PROBE- FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured the public that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court “forthwith,” which he said means the day after the Senate receives the articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives.&quot;Once we receive it, we will convene the following day as a impeachment court. If we do receive it, ha,&quot; Sotto told reporters after a closed door meeting of senators on the chamber&#x27;s agenda for May.Sotto sidestepped a question on the latest Supreme Court ruling on a petition seeking to compel the Senate to convene an impeachment court to try articles sent last year, which the court later voided. &quot;[Hindi] naman sumasaklaw ‘yung decision niya doon sa, sa trabaho ng Senado, eh. It doesn&#x27;t have anything to do with the work of the Senate,” Sotto said.He stressed that the Senate would act on any articles of impeachment it receives &quot;forthwith.&quot;He added: “Meaning, sa akin ng forthwith, the following day.” <div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/29/supreme-court-says-forthwith-in-impeachment-cases-means-within-reasonable-time-1655">Supreme Court says ‘forthwith’ in impeachment cases means ‘within reasonable time’</a></div>Sotto confirmed that the possible Duterte impeachment trial was among the matters discussed during the caucus.Based on a photo shared by Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri, those present included Sotto, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson, Zubiri, and Senators Loren Legarda, Camille Villar, Lito Lapid, Raffy Tulfo, Risa Hontiveros, Pia Cayetano, Robin Padilla, and JV Ejercito. &quot;Pinag-usapan na namin ‘yung mga possibilities. May member naman ng minority [na] present so he was asked to relay to the other members of the minority [the] suggestions,&quot; Sotto told the media after the meeting.Sotto and Lacson said the impeachment trial could proceed even during the sine die adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress.&quot;The Senate, the legislative body, will be on break by June 5. So that will be both houses of Congress. But then again, the impeachment court is different from the Senate.&quot;Lacson said the Senate could consider holding the trial on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — or even daily.Lacson said, adding one option will be to hold trials on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays or daily trials.<div> </div><div>SENATORS NEED TO PREPARE</div>Lacson emphasized the importance of preparations since Sens. Francis Escudero, Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano, Francis Pangilinan and Rodante Marcoleta are the only members of the 24-seat Senate who are lawyers.Most senators would also be serving as judges in an impeachment trial for the first time. Sotto and Legarda were part of the 2000 trial of President Joseph Ejercito Estrada and of Chief Justice Renato Corona in 2012.Sens. Jinggoy Estrada, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Escudero, Lacson, Lito Lapid, Pangilinan, and Zubiri participated in the Corona trial.First-time senator-judges would include Bam Aquino, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Imee Marcos, Robin Padilla, Raffy Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo, JV Ejercito, Joel Villanueva, Camille Villar, and Mark Villar. If the Duterte trial proceeds, it would be Sotto’s third time to serve as a judge in an impeachment case, but his first as presiding officer. Under the Constitution, the Senate President presides over impeachment trials, except when the President of the Philippines is on trial. Sotto would also be the first non-lawyer to preside.The 2012 Corona trial was presided over by lawyer Juan Ponce Enrile, while the 2000 Estrada trial was led by Chief Justice Hilario Davide.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured the public that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court “forthwith,” which he said means the day after the Senate receives the articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III assured the public that the Senate will convene as an impeachment court “forthwith,” which he said means the day after the Senate receives the articles of impeachment from the House of Representatives.

For Sotto, 'forthwith' means the day after receiving impeachment articles

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For Sotto, 'forthwith' means the day after receiving impeachment articles

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News,

Published April 30, 2026 08:08 PM PHT

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Impeachment

House of Representatives

Senate

Vicente Sotto III

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