With the Senate potentially sitting as an impeachment court as early as May 18, Senator Robin Padilla has made clear where he stands: strictly on constitutional ground.
Padilla issued a statement pledging to serve as an impartial judge in the looming trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, framing the impeachment process as a constitutional mechanism too consequential to be dragged into partisan territory.
“As a senator-judge, my duty is to remain fair, open-minded, and guided only by evidence, due process, and my sworn duty to the Constitution,” he said.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano earlier announced that the chamber may convene as an impeachment court on May 18, setting the stage for senator-judges to formally take on their adjudicatory role.
Padilla said those sitting in judgment during an impeachment trial carry an obligation that goes beyond their ordinary legislative function — one that demands they rise above political considerations and uphold the rule of law.
He stressed that allowing personal interests or speculation to color the proceedings would undermine what he described as a serious constitutional mechanism.
