Pimentel disappointed over VP Sara impeachment trial delay

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III criticized the proposed timetable for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, calling the months-long delay a violation of the Constitution’s call for an immediate trial.

In an interview with dwIZ, Pimentel expressed disappointment over the four-month lag until the trial’s proposed start on July 30, stating that it fails to meet the constitutional requirement for a trial to proceed “forthwith.”

“I am disappointed. I even wrote my opinion to the Senate President, but it seems I failed to convince them,” Pimentel said.

While acknowledging the necessity of preliminaries such as pre-trial and the receipt of pleadings, Pimentel lamented that the break could have been used to start the trial.

“The months’ delay is time wasted. That is no longer forthwith,” he said, stressing that the Constitution mandates an immediate trial to minimize disruption to the official’s duties and ensure swift resolution for the public.

Under Senate President Francis Escudero’s proposed timetable, the impeachment proceedings would begin with an impeachment complaint on June 2, followed by hearings, pre-trial and procedural matters before the trial formally starts on July 30.

Pimentel revealed that he invited Escudero to Marikina on Friday for a dialogue with Bicolanos and spoke with him on the sidelines about his call for an all-senator caucus.

Escudero told Pimentel that the majority of senators do not support his call for a caucus solely to discuss Duterte’s impeachment, explaining that many senators are either abroad or busy with their reelection bids.

“The cooperation of the majority is needed for a caucus. Otherwise, that is not even a caucus if some won’t attend,” Pimentel said.