The Senate leadership is considering appointing Senator Kiko Pangilinan as “impeachment manager” should a full-blown impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte push through, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said.

During the Kapihan sa Senado on Wednesday, Lacson said that the majority leader, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, made the suggestions, whose proposal aims to designate a legal-minded senator to help oversee the proceedings and ensure order during the trial.

”We are planning to–kasi si Senator Zubiri, majority leader hindi rin lawyer. So we are planning to appoint an impeachment manager tingin namin si Sen. Kiko para lawyer,” Lacson said.

He jokingly continued: ”Tutal BFF din naman siya ni Sen. [Rodante] Marcoleta, not in the same degree.”

According to Lacson, Pangilinan—who is a lawyer and familiar with court rules—would take on a role similar to a de facto majority leader in the impeachment court, helping manage procedural matters and questions of law.

“Parang siya yung halimbawa may mga question of law na pwede mong iinterpret kasi kailangan kabisado mo ‘yung rules of court. Although yung mananaig dito yung rules of impeachment, suppletory yung rules of court,” he said.

“Mas mainam na ‘yung lawyer na sanay sa trial para more or less masisignalan man lang niya si SP [Senate President Tito Sotto] ‘yung objection would be overruled or sustain, mas maganda na yung ganon,“ the senator emphasized.

He added that while impeachment rules would prevail, the Rules of Court could be applied in a supplementary manner when necessary.

Lacson said the impeachment manager would help maintain order during deliberations and guide the presiding officer on procedural rulings such as objections.

“It is better to have a lawyer who is experienced in trial proceedings so he can at least signal the Senate President on whether objections should be sustained or overruled,” he said.

He clarified that the proposal has not yet been formally discussed by the entire majority bloc and remains at the suggestion stage, initially raised by Zubiri and noted as acceptable to Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.

“I also agree kasi kailangan talaga na may legal mind na talagang ‘yung lawyer ‘yung nandyan kasi tayo mga abogago lang naman tayo na paminsan-minsan nakakatsamba,” he said.

“Ang sinabi ni SP pwede tayong mag-designate ng impeachment manager na senador…hindi naman sa pagpapakita ng bias kung siya ’yung orderliness,” Lacson added.