Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson affirmed on Saturday that Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s leadership remains secure, even as the chamber prepares for a potential impeachment trial involving Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lacson dismissed rumors of a leadership shakeup, noting that while “plots are usually hatched during session breaks,” the current majority remains intact.
“Impeachment trial or no impeachment trial, there’s always the possibility of an attempt at leadership change. That will not go away,” Lacson said. “At least to my knowledge, the majority bloc is solid because Senate President Sotto is leading well.”
In anticipation of the House of Representatives potentially transmitting Articles of Impeachment to the upper house, Lacson revealed that he and Sotto have begun “crash courses” on legal procedures.
These briefings focus on the Rules of Court and the Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure to ensure the Senate is equipped to handle the judicial nature of the proceedings.
If the impeachment reaches the Senate plenary, Sotto is expected to preside over the trial. Both Sotto and Lacson previously served as senator-judges during the 2012 impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona, where both voted for conviction.
The upcoming trial presents a unique political backdrop, as Sotto and Duterte were rivals during the 2022 vice presidential race.