Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said Monday that any move to change Senate leadership would take priority over convening the chamber as an impeachment court, stressing the need to first organize the upper chamber before it can proceed with constitutional duties.

“Getting the Senate organized is the priority, kasi, how can you even convene the court if you’re not organized?” Cayetano said in a press conference.

Cayetano noted that discussions on leadership changes, if they arise, should be addressed first before the Senate proceeds with impeachment proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte, scheduled to open Monday, May 18.

“I just wanna focus on convening as an impeachment court, organizing the Senate para wala nang magsabi-sabi ng delay,” he said. “Besides those two priorities pwede natin isa-isahin kung ano man ang kailangan natin gawin.”

Asked whether he would block any attempt to change the Senate leadership, Cayetano said such a move is within the rights of senators.

“That’s their right, but priorities are priorities, ’di ba?” he said. “Sila naman nagsasabi before… na dine-delay namin yung impeachment. So kung gusto nilang i-delay, i-delay nila.”

He added that procedural moves in the chamber could affect the timeline of the impeachment court’s convening.

“I’ve been in the Senate long enough na kahit majority ka, kung gusto mo talagang i-delay, maraming pwedeng gawin,” he said. “Sabay-sabay lang kayo tumayo, ma-de-delay mo.”

Still, Cayetano expressed confidence that senators would handle the situation with decorum.

“But I’m expecting a very decent and honorable exchange, mamaya,” he said.

Pressed on whether a leadership change would delay the convening of the impeachment court, Cayetano reiterated that organization of the Senate must come first.

“If there’s a move to change leadership, priority yan,” he said. “How can you even convene the court if you’re not organized? How can you have hearings if you’re not organized?”

He added that while the Senate has daily legislative duties, convening as an impeachment court is a distinct constitutional responsibility that must proceed once the chamber is properly organized.