Lawyer-solon Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro has shot down the proposal of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano's bloc for an "interim administration" in the Senate with Acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian's bloc.

Luistro, the lead prosecutor in Vice President Sara Duterte's upcoming impeachment trial, said the 1987 Charter simply doesn't allow such a set-up.

“The Constitution does not provide for interim administration ‘no. Ang hirap din i-conceive na dalawa ang Senate president, dalawa ang Senate Secretaries, dalawa ang clerk of court [of the Senate impeachment court]. There has to be only one because that’s what the Constitution provides,” she said.

(It's also very hard to conceive that there are two Senate presidenta, two Senate secretaries, and two clerks of court.

Gatchalian was installed as Senate President Pro Tempore, and consequently Acting Senate President, during plenary session on June 3 before the sine die adjournment of the first regular session.

Cayetano, the erstwhile Senate President, has questioned the plenary move and has insisted that he remained the leader of the upper chamber.

Amid the impasse, the Cayetano group suggested an “interim administration” where the two factions would be involved in running the Senate.

For Luistro and the rest of the 11-member prosecution team, it's imperative for the Senate to resolve the leadership squabble, since there's an impeachment trial that's waiting to be held.

She reiterated that the Constitution directs the Senate to conduct a trial “forthwith” once the House of Representatives transmits an impeachment complaint to the upper chamber.

The impeachment documents, including the articles of impeachment, were transmitted to the Senate last May 13.

“What the Constitution mandates is very simple and clear - ‘trial forthwith.’ It does not mention about personalities or position. And after trial forthwith, judgement, which is either conviction or acquittal,” Luistro stressed.

She says the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte must proceed regardless of who is the Senate president.

“Remember that this is a constitutional duty. This is not a question (of) sino ba ang Senate president, sino ba ang presiding officer, sino ba ang clerk of court? (who is the Senate president, who is the presiding officer, who is the clerk of court?) This is a question of proceeding, to trying the case and rendering judgement afterwards. This is not a question of personality,” she said.

The Senate previously announced dates for pre-trail conference on June 15 and 18, and trial proper on July 6.