Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel has written a letter to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero to adhere to the 1987 Constitution by acting immediately on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

In his letter dated 14 February but only shared to the media on Tuesday, Pimentel, a lawyer, cited Article XI, Section 3, paragraph 4 of the 1987 Constitution which states that the Senate must act “forthwith” on an impeachment case.

“Since it is a constitutional provision or term we are giving meaning to, the term ‘forthwith’ must be interpreted in accordance with the Verba Legis Rule, that is, it should be given its ‘plain and ordinary meaning,’” he said.

“According to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, ‘forthwith’ means ‘without any delay’ or ‘without interval of time’. Its synonyms include immediately, instantaneously, instantly, presently, promptly, right away, right now, straight off, and straightaway, among others,” he added.

Pimentel noted that considering that the 1987 Constitution was promulgated in both English and Filipino, the official translation of “forthwith” is “agad.”

“The Filipino translation for ‘forthwith’ is ‘agad’ which conveys immediacy. The synonyms of this Filipino word include ‘madali,’ ‘bigla,’ ‘dagli,’ or ‘karakaraka’ which denote urgency or promptness,” he said.

“The above elaboration affirms that it is the Senate’s duty to act on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte ‘without any delay’ or ‘without interval of time.’ I repeat that this is the Senate’s duty,” he added.

He continued: “Given the gravity of impeachment proceedings, it is imperative that the Senate uphold its duty with urgency, diligence, and a steadfast commitment to the Constitution. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and look forward to your response.”

To recall, Escudero said that the Senate may likely act on the impeachment complaints against Duterte after the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

According to Escudero, who is also a lawyer, the Senate can only begin its impeachment proceedings against Duterte once the session resumes since convening the impeachment trial court requires a plenary action.