SENATE President Francis Escudero yesterday said he has no plan to call an all-senators’ caucus in the near future, which was proposed by Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III and pushed by deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros.
Escudero also released a proposed timetable for the impeachment court, which includes the start of the trial proper on July 30. Earlier this month, Escudero said the trial proper will start after President Marcos Jr delivers his state of the nation address, which is set for July 21. Escudero’s timetable is subject to approval of the Senate in plenary.
The caucus, according to Pimentel and Hontiveros, is needed so senators can decide on whether they can convene as an impeachment court even if Congress is on break. They said the Senate is mandated by the Constitution to constitute an impeachment court “immediately” after receipt of the Articles of Impeachment from the House of Representatives, which was on February 5, the last day of Congress’ session.
“Not at this time, no,” Escudero said in a press conference, adding some of the senators he has asked rejected the idea because some of them are abroad while some are busy campaigning.
He also said holding the caucus would be “not official” as everything will still change once they resume sessions, when they will have to formally tackle the impeachment trial.
Escudero reiterated he is simply following the law to avoid delays in case one of the parties will question the Senate proceedings.
Escudero also he has ordered the chamber’s offices to “organize in advance” for the impeachment trial, in accordance with Senate Resolution No. 39 or the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trial.
Special Order No. 2025-015 tasks the offices concerned to serve as “administrative support” to the Senate once it is convened as an impeachment court “so that necessary preparations can be implemented for the conduct of an orderly impeachment trial.”
The order was signed by Escudero on February 20 and will remain effective until the termination of the impeachment trial, “or until otherwise revoked or amended.”
He said Senate secretary Renato Bantug was designated Clerk of Court who will assist the presiding officer in the administration of the impeachment trial.
Escudero, at the press conference, said the Senate has sent letters to the Vice President, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the prosecution team, and other concerned parties to formally inform them that “I have initiated the necessary procedures in accordance with applicable laws, rules, guidelines, and precedents” for the conduct of orderly proceedings.
The measures include an order to review the Rules of Procedures in Impeachment Trials “for possible amendments,” coming up with enhanced security measures inside the Senate building, and engaging the services of external counsels, legal consultants, and researchers.
Escudero said he also sent letters to the senators explaining his position that formal discussions on the establishment of an impeachment court will be held when Congress resumes sessions on June 2.
TRIAL CALENDAR
Escudero proposed timetable is as follows: June 2 – presentation of the Articles of Impeachment by the prosecutors and approval of the Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials; June 3 – convening of the impeachment court and oath-taking of senators belonging to the current Congress; June 4 – issuance of summonses; June 14 to June 24 — receipt of pleadings; and June 24 to July 25 – pre-trial proceedings.
He said the oath-taking of the new 12 senators of the 20th Congress will take place on July 29.
He said the trial proper will begin on July 30 , adding that the impeachment hearings will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. so they will have time for their legislative work and committee hearings.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives posted on its official Facebook page an “explainer” for the Articles of Impeachment to help the public understand the case.
This followed Duterte’s surprise visit to Cebu City last Wednesday, where she told Cebuanos they have the right to show their anger as part of their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech.
“It is the right of the people to show their anger, we have what we call constitutional protection of the freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” she later told a radio interview in Cebuano. “It is just right that those from the government to know what the people feel.”
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro called Duterte’s show-anger statement a “useless suggestion” and said it is disappointing, coming from the second highest official.
Castro said instead of encouraging the people to be angry at government, Duterte should have urged the public to help the government become better.
She also said President Marcos Jr. did not respond to Duterte’s remarks when he learned about it.
Castro asked why Duterte chose to encourage the people to show their anger now but kept quiet during the administration of her father, Rodrigo Duterte, who she said was even named the “most corrupt” or “Person of the Year in Organized Crime and Corruption” in 2017 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.
She also raised the reported corruption in the Department of Education which the Vice President had headed. – With Wendell Vigilia and Jocelyn Montemayor
