Former justice undersecretary Atty. Ramon Esguerra says impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte cannot cross over to the 20th Congress.

Esguerra said there is also a question if the articles of impeachment should be read again once the new senators come in on June 30.

He advised that the impeachment should be refiled if time runs out and no verdict is reached by June 30.

“I believe in the collective wisdom of the Senate that they will able to tackle this and I think there were jurisprudence cited from the US about this,” he said.

He also pointed out that the 19-day timeline proposed by Sen. Francis Tolentino for the impeachment trial is not enough to hear all the evidence in the articles of impeachment against Duterte.

“Pito ang articles of impeachment and according to their rules, iisa-isahin nila ‘yun. Hindi kakayanin. We have to be realistic about it,” he said.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5 for “high crimes” including corruption and an alleged assassination plot against former ally and running mate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

If convicted by two-thirds of the Senate, Duterte would be removed from office and permanently barred from holding public office.