Senate President Francis Escudero has moved the presentation of Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte to June 11 from June 2 to allow the Senate to discuss priority legislation before the end of the 19th Congress.

In a letter addressed to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez dated May 12, Escudero said that there are at least 12 important bills that Congress has committed to pass in the last days of the 19th Congress.

“With only six session days before the sine die adjournment, it is imperative for the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of these measures, consistent also with the administration’s thrust to align our government with the people’s needs and expectations,” Escudero said.

The presentation of the Articles of Impeachment, originally scheduled for June 2, is the first step in initiating the impeachment trials in the Senate.

Escudero also cited the need to act on over 200 presidential appointments before the end of the 19th congress.

The presentation of the Articles of Impeachment is necessary for the Senate to constitute itself as an impeachment court and conduct the trial of the Vice President. Yzabela Velez-White/DMS