Chiz Escudero eyed as Senate impeachment court presiding officer

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday said that members of the Senate majority bloc have initially agreed to elect Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero as the presiding officer of the Senate impeachment court that will try the case of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“As per our consensus as of this morning, we will elect Senator Chiz Escudero if we convene again as [an] impeachment court, to be the presiding officer,” Lacson said in an ambush interview.

Asked for the reason for such, he said, “Lawyer eh at saka may experience na rin siya sa impeachment.)

(He’s a lawyer and has experience with the impeachment process.)

Escudero previously presided over the impeachment court in 2025 when he was still the Senate president.

He also said that newly elected Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian made the suggestion.

Meanwhile, Lacson denied that the possible election of Escudero as impeachment court presiding officer was in exchange for his transfer to the majority bloc.

“No, kami kami ‘yun nag-usap para lang maging smooth,” he said.

(No, we talked about it amongst ourselves so that the trial will be smooth.)

“Kasi alam niyo,’pag ikaw nagpe-preside, kailangan talaga meron kang basic knowledge sa law, ‘yung rules of court, evidence. Kasi once na merong mag-motion either from the prosecution or defense, merong pagkakataon na kailangan mag-rule ka immediately ‘di ba,” he explained.

(You know, when you are presiding, you really need to have basic knowledge of the law, the rules of court and evidence. Because once there is a motion either from the prosecution or defense, there is a chance that you have to rule immediately, right?)

Lacson said that Escudero may be elected to the post once the Senate impeachment court convenes on July 6, 2026.

Before the impeachment trial begins next month, a pre-trial conference will occur on June 18 that is expected to be closed to the public.

The Articles of Impeachment approved by the House for Senate action accuse the Vice President of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery and other high crimes. — RSJ, GMA News