THE question is superfluous and absurd. After an official is impeached by the House of Representatives, which has the exclusive power to initiate all cases of impeachment, the Constitution says trial by the Senate, which has the sole power to try and decide all impeachment cases, "shall proceed forthwith."
On Feb. 5, Vice President Sara Duterte was impeached by 215 members of the 306-strong House. PDP-Laban, former president Rodrigo Duterte's political party, has condemned the impeachment as a "railroaded process," but it seemed fully in accord with the Constitution and the rules. These provide that if an impeachment complaint is endorsed by one-third of all the members of the House, it shall be transmitted directly to the Senate for trial without the need for a debate on the floor of the House.
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