MANILA — Senator Erwin Tulfo dismissed speculation of a possible change in Senate leadership ahead of the expected impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“I don’t think so. I think they cannot muster enough votes for that,” Tulfo told reporters in an ambush interview, referring to reports of efforts to shift the Senate leadership. He did not elaborate on who he was referring to.

In a report, the Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court once it receives the Articles of Impeachment from the House of Representatives.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III earlier said the chamber would immediately convene and conduct pre-trial proceedings before proceeding to the formal impeachment trial.

Sotto, who replaced Sen. Francis Escudero as Senate President after the earlier impeachment proceedings in the 19th Congress, said the Constitution requires Congress to act on impeachment “forthwith,” which he interpreted as requiring immediate action.

On Monday, the House Committee on Justice unanimously approved the committee report and resolution containing the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, paving the way for a plenary vote in the House.

Reports in February had also surfaced suggesting that some senators were allegedly considering installing Sen. Loren Legarda as Senate President amid disagreements over findings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on its flood control investigation.

Sotto, however, remained in his post amid reported lobbying efforts involving the committee’s recommendations.

Tulfo said senators should instead focus on public concerns such as rising fuel prices, healthcare costs, food inflation, and salaries.

“We have a lot of problems. Napakadaming problema, di ba? Problema sa petrolyo, napakataas. Healthcare, mga tao hindi alam kung saan kukuha ng pambayad sa hospital. Pagkain, napakamahal. Salaries—uunahin pa ba natin yung change of leadership? Why?” he said.

“Siguro dapat unahin natin ang interes ng taumbayan, huwag ang sarili natin o ang mga partido natin,” he added.