MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will push through, regardless of the ongoing legal proceedings against her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Netherlands.
Escudero clarified that the two cases are entirely separate and that the ICC trial will not affect the Senate’s work on the impeachment process.
“Those (the impeachment and the ICC trial) are separate incidents,” Escudero said during a press briefing on Monday.
“I don’t see any connection between the two, and it’s not a reason to delay anything the Senate needs to do regarding our work here and whatever is happening in The Hague,” he added.
No Legal Basis to Postpone Impeachment
Escudero emphasized that there is no law requiring the Senate to halt impeachment proceedings due to the ICC trial of a former head of state.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the impeachment trial of the vice president, officials from the House of Representatives, led by Secretary General Reginald Velasco, are scheduled to inspect the Senate premises on Tuesday.
