The spokesperson for the Senate impeachment court on Monday, July 6, clarified why Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian and Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero are seated together at the rostrum during the impeachment trial, saying the arrangement reflects their distinct roles while recognizing them as co-equals in the proceedings.

In a press briefing after the first day of the impeachment trial, Impeachment Court Spokesperson Reginald Tongol said Escudero, as the Senate-elected presiding officer, and Gatchalian, as Senate President, have distinct responsibilities in the impeachment court.

"When it comes to the impeachment trial, they are equals. May division lamang po ng labor. Kaya po we do not want to degrade the Office of the Senate President para bumaba doon sa upuan ng mga senator-judges (There's just division of labor. Which is why we do not want to degrade the Office of the Senate President to go down and sit with the other senator-judges)," Tongol said.

He added that the seating arrangement follows the precedent set during the impeachment trial of former President Joseph Estrada.

"Kaya po minarapat na kapareho lamang po nung nangyari nung impeachment trial ni President Estrada, na nakaupo po ang Presiding Officer, which is the Chief Justice, katabi niya po ang Senate President, dahil po co-equal po sila on that matter (That is why it was deemed proper to follow what happened during the impeachment trial of President Estrada, where the Presiding Officer, who is the Chief Justice, was seated with the Senate President beside him, because they are co-equal in that matter)," he said.

Asked whether the two officials would remain seated beside each other throughout the impeachment trial, Tongol replied in the affirmative.

Earlier, Gatchalian said he personally proposed the election of Escudero as presiding officer of the impeachment court, saying the move would allow the Senate to efficiently carry out both the impeachment proceedings and its other constitutional responsibilities.

"I raised with my colleagues the idea of electing Senator Escudero to preside over the impeachment court, and I'm glad the body acted on it," Gatchalian said in a statement.

He said the proposal was deliberate, citing the volume of work facing the Senate in the coming months.

"Looking at everything before this Senate in the coming months, I felt strongly that the impeachment trial and our other constitutional duties each deserved a leader's full, undivided attention, not one competing with the other for the same hours in the day," he said.

According to Gatchalian, Escudero will oversee the day-to-day conduct of the impeachment trial, while he will continue exercising full supervision over the impeachment court as Senate President.

Gatchalian added that the arrangement would also allow him to focus on other Senate priorities, including measures under the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget, and hearings on issues such as the flood control controversy and school-related violence.

He stressed that the setup does not diminish the importance of the impeachment trial.

He also said the Senate remains committed to addressing other pressing national concerns, including rising fuel prices, inflation, and economic uncertainty, alongside the impeachment proceedings.