The Senate may convene immediately as an impeachment court by Wednesday, May 13 if the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte reaches the Upper Chamber by Tuesday.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said this in a radio interview on Sunday, May 10 adding that he believes it would be reasonable for the Senate to act “forthwith” on the matter once they receive copies of the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

The impeachment case is expected to be elevated to the Senate next week, after the House of Representatives formally votes on the charges on Monday, May 11.

“I expect it to be transmitted to us on Tuesday and based on SP's (Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto) statements, the impeachment court will be convened on Wednesday,” Gatchalian said in a Radio DZBB interview.

“Immediately. Because he wants it, immediately. If he wants to immediately convene it. Although admittedly, in the Supreme Court (decision) there has already been a ruling that the Senate has discretion on what the definition of forthwith is,” he pointed out.

“As long as it is within reasonable grounds. So it is up to the body's discretion whether they want it immediately or if there are reasonable grounds,” the senator stressed.

Gatchalian said he is confident the Senate is ready to convene for the Duterte impeachment trial considering its preparation since the 19th Congress.

“We already had a preview during the 19th Congress. That's why there was a remand, right? If you remember, the Articles of Impeachment were remanded,” he said.

“Now if you ask me, it's very clear in the Constitution to try forthwith. So that means, the job of the Senate, when the Articles of Impeachment are brought up, is to try. And there the defense and even prosecution will have the opportunity to bring out the motions, the things they want to do. But we need to try because that's very clear in our Constitution,” he stressed.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo also said he is confident that the Senate can effectively exercise its duty to try the impeachment case as soon as the impeachment documents are forwarded to it.

“We have to be ready if the impeachment case succeeds in Congress. Last week, we talked about it already and the plan is to hold the trial during Mondays, Wednesday s, and Fridays. Tuesday and Thursday would be session days and committee hearings,” Tulfo said.

Tulfo also vouched on Sotto’s readiness to hold the impeachment trial “forthwith.”

“He said we have to convene forthwith, but it doesn’t mean to say there would be a trial immediately becase we have to give time for the prosecution and defense to prepare. We also need to discuss the rules,” he pointed out.

“The critical point is if an elected official is impeached, he can no longer run, but what if she resigns during the trial? So it won’t end with, are we still going to pursue? Initial talks had been that we have to continue,” he stressed.

Earlier, Sotto said that the impeachment court will convene as soon as the Senate receives the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte “no matter what others may say.”

Sotto made the statement following Sen. Robinhood “Robin” Padilla’s statement that the minority would oppose to it, since the Senate minority bloc’s “job is to oppose” everything in the Senate.

“Based on the Constitution, it’s automatic. That’s our job. No matter what others say, what matters is what the Constitution says: When Articles of Impeachment are received, we convene as an impeachment court,” Sotto said in last week’s interview.

And should there be moves to opposed the convening of the Senate impeachment court, Sotto assured “we’re ready for anything.”

“Let’s follow the Constitution, which is to convene once we receive the Articles of Impeachment. That is part of our job,” the Senate leader stressed.