Senator Erwin Tulfo insisted on Sunday that neither a recent shooting incident inside the Senate complex nor swirling rumors of another leadership shakeup should delay the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Speaking in a radio interview, Tulfo emphasized that the upper chamber must press forward with its constitutional duty regardless of heightened security concerns or political instability.
“Bakit made-delay? Kung made-delay yan kasalanan na siguro ng isang grupo yan kung made-delay. Kung ako ang tatanungin niyo, gusto ko mag-umpisa na yan,” Tulfo said.
(“Why would it be delayed? If it gets delayed, that would probably be the fault of a certain group. If you ask me, I want it to start already.”)
The senator stressed that lawmakers must remain resolute, expressing his willingness to convene the Senate as an impeachment court under any circumstances.
“Pag may humarang, kuwestyunin na natin yun. Pero magkaganun man, may mangyari man o whatever, dapat matuloy kahit… gabi. Maghintay kami lahat doon maumpisahan lang, ma-convene lang ang Senate as an impeachment court, payag ako,” he added.
(“If someone blocks it, let’s question that. But whatever happens, it should push through even if it’s at night. We will all wait there just for it to start, just to convene the Senate as an impeachment court, I agree to that.”)
Tulfo confirmed that the articles of impeachment have already been transmitted to his office. He also noted that senators received a formal directive from Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano regarding the official convening of the impeachment court on Monday.
“I guess talagang ready na ito. Kahit ako naman at lahat ng taumbayan, waiting. So we’ll just have to give them what they are asking na ituloy itong impeachment trial na ito,” Tulfo remarked.
(“I guess this is really ready. Just like me, the entire nation is waiting. So we’ll just have to give them what they are asking for, which is to proceed with this impeachment trial.”)
According to the rules laid out by Cayetano, the chamber will formally assemble before the Senate President takes his oath as the presiding officer. Following this, the 23 senator-judges will be sworn in before summons are officially served to both the prosecution and defense panels.
The articles of impeachment reached the Senate on May 13, following a decisive 257-25 vote in the House of Representatives, with nine abstentions, to impeach the Vice President for a second consecutive year.