SENATE Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday expressed doubt the Senate will give priority to the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law over the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno when Congress resumes session in May.
“I really doubt that the impeachment will be our priority when we resume on May 15. Perhaps the BBL will be the priority,” Sotto said.
Congress will go on a break on March 24 to May 13. It will then be in session for a few weeks before adjourning sine die from June 2 to July 22.
Voting 33-1 on Monday, the House of Representatives’ justice committee approved the articles of impeachment against Sereno, and if adopted on the floor the case will be transmitted to the Senate for trial.
Sotto says if the articles of impeachment clears the House plenary, those will be transmitted to the Senate for trial, a proceeding that Sereno has expressed preference for over the removal bid she faces at the Supreme Court.
While the Senate could convene itself into an impeachment court, Sotto said, it would first have to deal with procedural matters such as adopting rules, sending summonses and directing parties to reply.
“The impeachment trial can only start perhaps the first week of August,” he said.
“There’s no way we can start the trial in May.”
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III has guaranteed that the Senate will be “fair” and “objective” should Sereno’s impeachment reach the chamber.
“We will be fair, we will be objective and we will be after the truth behind the charges against her,” Pimentel said.
Senator Leila de Lima, who is detained in Camp Crame in Quezon City over drug charges, will only be allowed to vote on Sereno’s impeachment if she is physically present during the voting.
“Senator De lima, if she’s physically present, will be treated just like other senators. If she’s physically present,” Sotto said.