The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Senate to comment within 10 days on the petition filed seeking the immediate impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte

During the en banc session on Tuesday acted on a petition by lawyer Catalino Generillo Jr. by requiring the Senate to comment on the petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice".

"I can't say what the Supreme Court en banc ... deliberated on specifically the reason for the urgency. But impeachment is a nationwide concern that will be treated with urgency because of the gravity of the matter", SC spokesperson Camille Ting told reporters.

The petition, filed by Generillo last week, seeks to compel the Senate to immediately begin the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The official copy of the verified impeachment complaints against Duterte was turned over to the Senate by the House of Representatives on February 5, the same day when the Senate adjourned.

Meanwhile, another petition asking for an issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) "directing the Senate of the Philippines to cease and desist from conducting impeachment proceedings based on the defective Articles of Impeachment" was filed by a group of lawyers led by Israelito Torreon before the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

In the 114-page petition, the petitioners also asked the SC to declare the articles of impeachment "null and void" . Marie Manalili/DMS