MANILA – Senator-judge Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said some manifestations during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte have become “obviously irrelevant” and are beginning to test the patience of those observing the proceedings.

In a post on X, Lacson shared a lighthearted exchange with a fellow senator-judge, saying even members of the gallery would likely welcome an adjournment whenever lengthy, unrelated manifestations prolong the trial.

“DAY 6: A fellow senator-judge has jokingly asked me if he can move for the division of the house every time he feels annoyed by manifestations obviously irrelevant to the impeachment trial. I told him, a motion to adjourn will elicit more applause from the equally annoyed gallery,” he said.

The sixth day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday did not include witness testimonies but featured several lengthy manifestations, some of which focused on the timing of a National Bureau of Investigation probe into the multibillion-peso sports complex in Tarlac built for the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Last weekend, Lacson proposed measures aimed at reducing delays in the impeachment proceedings, including requiring witnesses expected to testify during the week to remain readily available within the Senate premises.

He said expediting the proceedings should not come at the expense of the presentation of evidence but should instead maximize the limited time available to the Impeachment Court.

Lacson also emphasized that Vice President Duterte is entitled to a speedy trial, just like any respondent in an ordinary court proceeding.