The Philippine Senate can only act on the impeachment complaint against Vice-President Sara Duterte on June 2 when Congress resumes after the midterm elections, Senate President Francis Escudero told a briefing on Thursday.

The Philippine Senate president says the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will begin after Congress reopens in June and will be done fairly to avoid a repeat of a 2001 impeachment proceeding that stalled and sparked massive protests that forced a president to step down.

A conviction would hamper the political ambitions of Sara Duterte, who has said that she would like to succeed President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.