PASAY CITY—Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano formally challenged the Senate impeachment court today to coordinate with the Sandiganbayan and allow detained Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada to participate in the trial. 

Speaking directly on the plenary floor, Cayetano cast doubt on the motives behind their confinement and argued that their presence is vital to the trial's credibility. 

"In my personal view, may politika sa pagpapakulong sa kanila. So, in my view, allowing them to attend here will add to the integrity of the proceedings." Cayetano declared, asserting that granting them entry would bolster the integrity of the high-stakes proceedings.

The manifestation quickly ignited debate among fellow senator-judges over how to accommodate their detained colleagues. 

Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo immediately backed the motion, suggesting a compromise where the two lawmakers could at least monitor the ongoing trial through a live video feed. 

However, Senator-judge Robinhood Padilla pushed back against a remote setup, arguing that Marcoleta and Estrada deserve full access. 

Padilla insisted they should be permitted to step inside the plenary itself to observe and participate in the historic trial in real time rather than watching it play out on a television screen.

The Senate court must now weigh these conflicting proposals against the legal realities of detention as the trial moving forward commands nationwide attention. 

Because the Sandiganbayan holds ultimate jurisdiction over the detained senators, any final decision will require unprecedented coordination between the judiciary and the legislature. 

With political tensions mounting on the Senate floor, the court's next move will decide whether this trial proceeds with a fractured roster or a full plenary.

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