The Senate impeachment court is slated to convene the week Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment case is raised to the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress, said Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Anticipating that the House may decide whether to elevate the case against Duterte around two weeks from today, April 21, Sotto said the Senate court judges may convene by May 4.

The House has said that its last impeachment session will be on April 29, Sotto noted.

“I’m expecting that they will vote on it on the first week of May,” he said.

The plenary must first be informed, however, and the case referred to the Senate Committee on Rules.

“The plenary must be informed, the body must be informed officially. Once I receive it, I will inform the body and I will refer it to the Committee on Rules. That is the proper thing to do,” he told the media during an interview.

However, Sotto also pointed out that the legislative body must not neglect its primary function in spite of the impeachment trial.

To accommodate the trial while fulfilling their duties as lawmakers, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson suggested that the Senate should hold the trial on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Sotto said.

“Kailangan tuloy pa rin ang Senate, dahil may sesyon kami hanggang June. Hindi puwedeng pabayaan ‘yung legislative work namin. But then, the suggestion of Senator Lacson was that we do it M-W-F (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) ang impeachment. And then Tuesdays, Thursdays ang Senate,” said the Senate President.