Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Wednesday, March 5 said he is standing firm in his decision not to rush the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero made the statement following reports the People’s Impeachment Movements, a multi-sectoral group,  is initiating a one-million-signature campaign to press the Senate to convene as an impeachment court at the soonest possible time and start the trial of the vice president.

“No amount of signatures will amend the law nor convince me to violate it by convening the impeachment court during recess and without complying with the requisite conditions precedent,” Escudero said in a statement.

“The law is not bendable and should not bow to anyone’s dictate simply because of their own desire, bias and timetable of wanting to rush the impeachment proceedings against VP Sara,” he stressed.

Escudero has repeatedly said the Senate can only convene as an impeachment court if Congress is in session.

He also rejected calls for the Senate to request the President to call for a special session.

Escudero said the Senate will convene as an impeachment court when Congress will resume session on June 2, but the trial will likely start by July 30 or with the new set of senators that will sit as senator-judges in the 20th Congress.

Two hundred fifteen (215) lawmakers voted to impeach Duterte for culpable violations of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust and other high crimes.

These stemmed from allegations she misused the confidential funds allocated to her office and the Department of Education (DepEd) which she previously headed.

She was also charged over her alleged kill threat against President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, his wife Liza, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.