“Inaantay ba natin magkaroon ulit ng isang EDSA?”

This was the response of House Assistant Majority Leader and TINGOG Party List Representative Jude Acidre to Senate President Francis Escudero’s statement questioning the supposed clamor for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to begin immediately.

“Kung hinahanap nila yung clamor, the 240 congressmen who signed for it, each representing their own district, already reflects a sizeable number of the Philippine population, who are calling for the impeachment of the Vice President,” Acidre said.

Sara Duterte seeks to block her impeachment trial

“‘Yung mga unang tatlong impeachment complaints were signed basically by civil society and non-government figures. So, anong clamor pa ba ang hinahanap natin? Inaantay ba natin magkaroon ulit ng isang EDSA or magkaroon ng rally? I don't think it's fair to the democratic process to have to wait for certain mobilizations to be able to discern the will of the people. The will of the people with regards to the impeachment has been properly articulated to the representatives in the House of Representatives… it's the turn of the Senate to act accordingly,” he added.

But with or without public clamor, a member of the House prosecution panel said the Senate is constitutionally mandated to act on the impeachment complaint “forthwith”.

House Assistant Majority Leader and AKO BICOL Party List Representative Jil Bongalon said the Constitution did not give conditions before the Senate could do so, which he asserted, means it can convene as an impeachment court even during the break. 

“Clamor is not a basis for us to act on something that the Constitution mandates. Malinaw naman sa Constitution, wala namang mga conditions before convening as an impeachment court. Dapat aksyunan agad, regardless kung ano po ang kanilang sitwasyon right now, whether they are on recess or not,” he explained. 

Acidre shared this view.

“Kung susundin natin ‘yung mindset ng Senate na dahil naka-recess, ibig sabihin ba noon... ang accountability ng public officials naka-recess din whenever naka-recess ang Congress? …Para sa akin, irrelevant ‘yung question kung kailangan mag-special session o hindi. Dapat talaga sila mag-session. Ang question lang, gagampanan ba ng Senado ang kanilang mandato?” the lawmaker said. 

House leaders slam VP Duterte’s petition to stop impeachment process as 'evasion'

Last Wednesday, Escudero stood firm on his position to wait for the resumption of Congress session in June before beginning Duterte’s impeachment trial. Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel is seeking an all-senator caucus for the Senate as a body to decide on the trial schedule. 

Bongalon believes that if the trial begins in March as hoped for by Pimentel, it can be completed within the 19th Congress. 

“We want that as soon as possible… ‘yung mga ganito, hindi na dapat pinapatagal. Sabi nga, justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

“Matagal nang handa ang House. Nasa Senate na ang bola kung gagampanan po nila ang kanilang tungkulin na dinggin ang impeachment complaint,” Acidre added.

Supreme Court to Senate: Comment on petition for ‘immediate’ Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Immediate Senate action on the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives against Vice President Duterte will be among the calls of the February 25 rally organized by various groups to mark the anniversary of the EDSA revolution at the EDSA People Power Monument. 

“Tuwing ang usapan na ay pagpaslang, karahasan, sobrang linaw na mali ‘yun, at sobrang linaw na nanggagaling ito sa ating pangalawang pangulo na sinasabing one heartbeat away from the presidency. Napaka-urgent na aksyunan ‘yung mga ganitong pananalita. Napaka urgent na panagutin ‘yung may ganitong pagbanta,” Ninoy Aquino’s grandson, Kiko Aquino Dee, said.

“Tama na, sobra na, kumilos na, magkaisa. Isabuhay ang tunay na diwa ng EDSA. Marcos singilin, Duterte panagutin, Sara litisin,” Fr. Robert Reyes added.