Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has floated a proposal addressing a possible legal and procedural issue in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte: what would happen if some senator-judges are detained due to pending criminal cases.

Speaking in a radio interview, Lacson said that one possible remedy is for the impeachment court to seek permission or “leave of court” from the Sandiganbayan or other courts handling the cases of detained senators so they may still participate in the proceedings.

Under his suggestion, if granted, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology or other custodial authorities could escort the senators to the Senate so they can physically attend and vote as senator-judges during the trial.Lacson emphasized that remote participation, such as online or video conferencing, should not be allowed in this scenario.

He pointed out that Senate rules only permit teleconferencing or similar arrangements in cases of force majeure, extreme circumstances, or national emergencies, which he said would not apply to ordinary detention cases.

He also firmly rejected what he described as a “work-from-jail” setup, stressing that physical presence in the impeachment court is required for proper proceedings.

The senator raised the issue in the context of ensuring that the impeachment trial would not be derailed if the Senate falls short of quorum or voting strength due to detained members.Under the Constitution, a two-thirds vote of the Senate, or 16 out of 24 senators, is required to convict an impeached official.

Legal experts have also noted that Senate rules alone are not enough to compel courts or custodial authorities to allow remote participation, meaning court approval would still be necessary.

Lacson also expressed optimism that shifting political alignments in the Senate could still influence leadership outcomes, even amid current minority and majority bloc tensions.