Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said on Saturday, May 9, that he's prepared to oppose and vote against any motion to stop or delay the Senate's convening as an impeachment court for the trial of respondent Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lacson stressed that the Constitution and its legal mechanisms are in place to address any possible issues related to a potential impeachment trial, including moves to block the Senate from convening as an impeachment court.

"For context, I did not say I will not oppose and vote against any motion to stop or delay the convening of the Senate into an impeachment court, if it comes to that. That said, the Senate is a collegial, deliberative body that is always ruled by the vote of the majority," he said in a post on X.

"If this constitutional issue arises, the Supreme Court (SC) may intervene to compel the Senate to perform our constitutional duty," he added.

Lacson also made it clear that opposing the motion to stop or delay the Senate from convening as an impeachment court should not be interpreted as a vote to convict or acquit - but as an assertion of the Senate's constitutional duty to convene as such.

He reiterated that the evidence will be his guide in deciding whether to convict or acquit, should the impeachment trial push through.

"This position to oppose any attempt to block the convening of the Senate as an impeachment court has nothing to do with my decision to convict or acquit the respondent as I will always be guided by the evidence to be presented and nothing else," he stressed.

At the Kapihan sa Senado last May 6, Lacson pointed out that senators must be prepared to address possible issues surrounding the impeachment process, including a hypothetical situation where a motion is raised to stop the Senate from convening as an impeachment court and the matter is put to a vote.

He underscored that carrying out the impeachment trial was a constitutional duty of the Senate.

"Constitutional duty yan. (The ones who move to stop the convening into an impeachment court) must be able to convince the majority to vote in their favor (The impeachment trial is a constitutional duty. The ones who move to stop the convening into an impeachment court must be able to convince the majority to vote in their favor)," he said.

"Kung ganoon ang mangyari, it’s on them. Sila ang sumagot sa taumbayan kung bakit ayaw mag-convene (If that happens, it's on them. They must explain to the people why they don't want the Senate to convene into an impeachment court)," he added.