Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Koko Pimentel III said on Saturday, June 28, that the Supreme Court (SC) would most likely side with House prosecutors if the Senate chooses to outright dismiss the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte and skip the constitutionally-mandated trial.

This was after Senate President Francis ''Chiz'' Escudero stated that there's no law preventing a senator from once again moving to dismiss Duterte's impeachment complaint, which could be granted via simple majority vote.

''Ako ang prediction ko most likely baka manalo sila (My prediction is they’ll most likely win),'' Pimentel said in an interview at Usapang Senadot on DWIZ.

''Magiging sampal yan sa mukha ng Senado kung malelecture-an pa siya ng SC na: 'Wala kang choice, isunod agad ang paglilitis (It would be a slap in the face of the Senate if the Supreme Court ends up lecturing it, saying: 'You have no choice, proceed with the trial immediately')','' he added.

Lawyer Antonio Audie Bucoy, the spokesman for the prosecution panel, on Friday, June 27, said they can't do anything if members of the Senate impeachment court decide to vote in favor of a possible motion to dismiss the impeachment case without trial.

According to Pimentel, the most constitutionally sound and fair course of action is to proceed with the trial, hear the evidence from both sides, and then render a decision.

“Pag guilty, walang problema, constitutional na action ‘yan. Pag not guilty, acquitted, constitutional din na action ‘yan, wala ring issue sa Constitution (If found guilty, there’s no problem, that’s a constitutional action. If found not guilty, acquitted, that’s also a constitutional action, there’s no issue with the Constitution either),” he said.

“Ang may issue is kung ‘di ka mag-trial, ‘yan ang paglabag sa Constitution (The real issue is if you don’t hold a trial, that’s what constitutes a violation of the Constitution),” he added.

Pimentel also stated that the Senate impeachment court should respect the House of Representatives since they are representatives of the people. Dismissing the impeachment case outright, he said, would be unfair to the lower chamber.

He criticized any attempt by the Senate as an impeachment court to question the House's internal rules or the process by which the impeachment complaint was approved.

''Ang sabi ng Constitution: mag-trial na kayo agad. ‘Wag niyong i-examine sila na tatanungin niyo pa sila na, 'Sinunod niyo ba ang rules niyo?' Eh siyempre, sinunod nila ‘yung rules nila. Respeto lang po (The Constitution says: proceed with the trial right away. Don’t examine them by asking, 'Did you follow your own rules?' Of course they did. It’s just a matter of respect),” he said.

The senator emphasized that immediately proceeding with the trial would be the “fairest” approach to all parties involved.