President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte would surely cross into the 20th Congress.

It is very clear that it will. Because there is no way that even if they start the trial now, that they will finish it before the new Senators come in,” Marcos told reporters.

Marcos said it is really the upper chamber’s function, ”so we leave it to them.”

”It has moved already from the House. It has now been in the Senate for a few months. We are watching, of course, what the Senate President, Chiz Escudero, is doing to try to make it as a peaceful transition as possible from this Congress to the next,” the President said.

Senate President Francis Escudero took his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment court in the trial of the Vice President.

The Senate also adopted Senator Joel Villanueva’s motion that the rest of the senators take their oaths as senator-judges in the impeachment trial at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

After the senators take their oaths, the court would be constituted but not yet convened, Villanueva said in his motion, which was approved.

The Senate also voted unanimously to refer the verified impeachment complaint against Duterte to the committee on rules.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. On the same day, the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate but the upper chamber adjourned without addressing the case.

The reading of impeachment raps against Duterte was rescheduled on June 11, as the Senate seeks to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration’s legislative agenda before the 19th Congress adjourns sine die on June 14.

Duterte was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. She has since denied the allegations.

Her defense team has maintained that they are ready to face the charges but stressed that the process should not be used as a weapon to harass political opponents.