Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero will turn down any reported offer of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to help the House of Representatives and the Senate resolve the on-going standoff in the impeachment case filed against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero told the Senate media that he values the importance of ensuring transparency in the impeachment trial, thus, his decision to decline any such offer.

In a recent press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the chief executive is willing to mediate between Escudero and Speaker Martin Romualdez to thresh out their differences, but not on the impeachment issue.

Marcos has made himself clear on the impeachment case, saying that he does not intend to meddle and that he did not want it to happen.

“How many times do i have to say that? I didn’t want impeachment,” he stressed.

Journalists covering the Senate had asked Escudero if he would agree to a Palace-mediated dialogue between him and House leaders to resolve their differences on the impeachment issue.

Escudero said he prefers an open discussion of the controversies affecting the two legislative chambers instead of resorting to closed-door meetings.

“If there is something to be discussed, it should be done in the impeachment court for the sake of transparency and accountability,” he stated.

According to him all communications and exchange of information should be conducted through formal pleadings as soon as the impeachment process starts.

Resorting to press releases, informal meetings and social media channels should be rejected.

He also reminded the Lower House that it should recognized their respective distinct roles in the impeachment process.

“The Senate is the impeachment court, while the Lower House serves as the prosecution. Since the Senate orders the prosecution, the House must follow,” Escudero explained.