MANILA — Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he has invited several senators from the majority bloc to discuss the possible transmission of the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte from the House of Representatives to the Senate.

Sotto, who may preside over the impeachment court if the case proceeds, said senators should be prepared to act as potential judges in the event the complaint is formally transmitted.

“I just wanted to give my colleagues a heads up on the possibility of receiving the Articles of Impeachment from the [House of Representatives]. It’s best that we prepare for it as senator judges,” he said.

He clarified, however, that the gathering was not an official caucus or Senate meeting, saying he only invited majority senators who were in town for dinner.

Sotto also said they would “remain impartial and wait for whatever will be presented.”

He earlier committed to act “forthwith” on any impeachment complaint that may be transmitted to the Senate, citing Article XI, Section 3(4) of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that trial by the Senate shall proceed immediately once the required threshold in the House is met.

The provision states: “In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.”

Sotto said he has also begun reviewing impeachment procedures, including a crash course on the Rules of Court to align with Senate rules “to be sure in case of any eventuality.”

In February, he said he was already receiving briefings from two lawyers from the Court of Appeals and one from the Court of Tax Appeals in preparation for a possible impeachment court.

The House Committee on Justice has been conducting hearings on the impeachment complaints against Duterte since last month after determining that the complaints were sufficient in form, substance, and grounds.

Duterte, for her part, has maintained that the complaints should be dismissed due to lack of evidence.