Senator Panfilo Lacson said Saturday senator-judges in the majority bloc have expressed support for the conduct of afternoon hearings for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at 2:30 p.m. onwards starting next month.
"Yes, sa aming chat group na-discuss 'yan. Majority sa amin, at least 'yung majority group, kasi ang aming chat group, majority bloc 'yun. 'Yan ang parang nagdo-dominate na sentimyento o opinyon na gawin natin sa umaga 'yung session, para sa ganoon hindi na naka-cut short 'yung impeachment trial," Lacson said in a radio interview.
(Yes, that was discussed in our chat group. The majority of us, at least the majority group, because our chat group is composed of the majority bloc. That seems to be the dominant sentiment or opinion: that we should hold the session in the morning, so that the impeachment trial proceedings would not be cut short.)
Lacson said the majority senator-judges proposed that the legislative sessions be scheduled from 10 a.m. up to 2 p.m., while the impeachment trial be set at 2:30 p.m. up to 7:30 p.m. or beyond.
"Pero 'yung 7:30, wala na kaming pressure na tapusin; puwedeng it could extend beyond 7:30, hanggang adjournment. Puwede kaming abutin ng 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock kung kinakailangan," Lacson said.
(But at 7:30 p.m., we will not have any pressure to end it. It could extend beyond 7:30 p.m. until adjournment. We can reach up to 10 p.m., 11 p.m., if necessary.)
The senator said the proposal will be formalized in the senators' caucus next week, where the minority bloc members will be consulted on the matter.
"Pero out of respect sa minority, iko-consult din sila. Pero parang ganu'n din 'yung gusto nila."
(Out of respect to the minority, they will be consulted. But they also seemed to agree with the proposal.)
Should the senators agree on the new schedule, it will likely be announced on Wednesday, August 26. Announcements on trial schedules for the next week are usually held on Wednesdays, in order for the prosecution and defense to have ample time to prepare.
"If there are pressing matters on the legislative side, we can flip the schedule again, if needed," Lacson said.
"Definitely next week, the impeachment trial will still be in the morning. If it will be moved to the afternoon the week after, it will be announced by the Presiding Officer on Wednesday," he added.
Lacson said he does not see Duterte's impeachment trial ending by December, as the prosecution has not finished presenting the second of its four articles, after which the defense will still have to present its case.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian's Pre-Trial Order originally set a 92-day trial period, with 62 days for the prosecution and 30 days for the defense.
After repeated schedule adjustments, Day 17 of the impeachment trial is set for Monday, August 24.
Heavy rains and floods due to the recent tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon or Habagat have forced the cancellation of several impeachment trial hearings.
Ready to comply
Meanwhile, Duterte's defense team assured that it would comply with any schedule changes to be implemented by the Senate impeachment court.
Michael Poa, lead spokesperson and defense counsel for the Vice President, said that, "The Defense will comply with whatever schedule the Impeachment Court may decide upon."
"We are prepared to proceed in accordance with the Court's directives," Poa said in a message to GMA News Online.
The House prosecution team earlier said it favors conducting the impeachment trial at 3 p.m. onward, and even holding it on Fridays, to speed up the proceedings. — VDV, GMA News