MANILA, Philippines — ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo said he refrained from signing the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte, as he might serve as a judge in her trial in the Senate.
Once the House of Representatives moves to impeach an official, the complaint is transmitted to the Senate, where senators act as judges in the impeachment trial.
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“I did not affix my signature to the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara Duterte to ensure that my judgment remains impartial should I become a senator judge. As a top contender in the upcoming senatorial elections, I may be among the new senators tasked with judging the said impeachment complaint. When that time comes, I will meticulously examine every piece of evidence presented before the body,” Tulfo said in a statement on Thursday, February 6.
While Tulfo may appear to be predicting the future, he has consistently led Senate preference surveys.
In the latest poll by Social Weather Stations, conducted for Stratbase Consultancy, Tulfo ranked first. Had the survey been the basis for the January elections, he would have easily secured a Senate seat.
He is not the only Tulfo leading in surveys. His brother, television personality Ben Tulfo, has also consistently ranked within the "Magic 12" in Senate preference polls.
If both brothers win in the May midterm elections, they will join their sibling, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, in the 20th Congress.
Duterte’s impeachment complaint reached the Senate on the last day before it went on recess.
The Senate was unable to tackle the impeachment complaint in plenary before recess, preventing any action that would allow lawmakers to work on the trial during the break.
While some have suggested that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. call a special session, this is typically reserved for urgent matters, not impeachment. However, Marcos said that if the Senate requests it, he would consider doing so.
Senate President Francis Escudero said that the only work that can legally proceed during the break is the drafting of rules and other preparatory tasks for Duterte’s impeachment trial.