Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said that around 19 to 20 senators are in favor of abiding by the Supreme Court's ruling on Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment complaint.

"Karamihan ng sentimyento ng kapwa-senador ko is to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court (Most of my fellow senators feel that we should abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court)," he told reporters late Thursday night, July 31.

Estrada also expressed his belief that the trial should no longer proceed after the High Court's ruling that declared the impeachment complaint unconstitutional.

"No more [trial]. Dahil unconstitutional na nga yung finile ng House of Representatives (What the House filed was already declared unconstitutional) so we do not have any jurisdiction anymore. And the Senate will not convene as an impeachment court because we don’t have any jurisdiction anymore," he said.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero announced on Tuesday, July 29, that the chamber, during an all-member caucus, agreed to set a specific date to deliberate on the matter. The move, he said, is intended to give senators sufficient time to study the SC’s 97-page decision, along with the concurring and separate opinions filed by five or six justices.

The Senate will decide on Aug. 6 on whether or not to proceed with the impeachment trial of the Vice President following the recent SC ruling that declared the impeachment complaint unconstitutional.

Asked how many senators want the impeachment case dismissed right away, he said: "Sabihin nating (Let's say) to abide by the ruling, mga (about) 19 to 20."

"Unang-una sa body language nila, pangalawa sa salita nila, mahahalata mo naman kung sino (First, through their body language, and second, through their words—you can easily tell among them)," he added, when asked how he came up with the number.

Estrada also said that they would no longer wait for the SC's action should the House file a Motion for Reconsideration.

The decision to defer action until the session resumes next week aims to ensure a thorough and informed review of the high court’s ruling before the Senate takes any definitive stance.

He also warned of a constitutional crisis should the Senate defy the SC decision.

"If we will not abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court, we are going to flirt with a constitutional crisis, and if there is constitutional crisis, what will happen next? There will be chaos in our government," he said.

"Kami mga mambabatas, gumagawa ng batas tapos di susunod sa batas? That’s awkward. Kung kami mga mambabatas, ayaw namin sundan ang Korte Suprema ano pa kaya ang iba, yung mga ordinaryong tao na may kaso na adverse sa kanila, hindi na rin nila susundin? E magkakagulo ang gobyerno," he added.

(We lawmakers create laws, then we won't follow the law? That’s awkward. If we lawmakers refuse to obey the Supreme Court, what more the others—ordinary people who have cases ruled against them—they might not follow either. That would lead to chaos in the government).