Chiz: PBBM must kick impeachment proceedings off by calling for special session

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Sunday said that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. needs to convene the upper chamber through a special session so they can move forward with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte while Congress is adjourned.

Escudero stated his position after Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III argued that the trial could continue even during the session break.

“Bago yata ‘yan… Hindi pwedeng mag special session ang Senado ng kami lang. May proseso, may procedure, at may mga basehan bago magpatawag ng isang special session. Hindi gano’n-gano’n na lamang (That seems new... The Senate can't call a special session on its own. There's a process, a procedure, and grounds that need to be followed before calling a special session. It's not something that can be done just like that),” Escudero said in a radio interview. 

The Senate President also lamented that “those caucuses, coffee breaks, meals, lunch, breakfast, dinner, are not special sessions that can create an impeachment court.”

Pimentel had written letter to Escudero, urging him to adhere to the Constitution by calling a caucus to discuss the impeachment trial against Duterte. 

Escudero said he has yet to discuss Pimentel's proposal but emphasized that Duterte's impeachment should be treated the same as previous cases, without any special considerations.

“Hindi pa kami nakakapag-usap ni Senator Pimentel. Parang mas gusto niya atang sumulat kaysa tumawag. So, hindi pa kami nagkakausap. Isang sulat pa lamang, may pangalawa raw na matatanggap ko pa lang. (Senator Pimentel and I haven't spoken yet. It seems like he prefers writing rather than calling. We haven't talked yet. I've only received one letter, and I’m supposed to receive a second one soon),” he pointed out.  

Escudero likewise maintained the Senate would not be swayed by partisan views. 

“Sino man ang magsasalitang partisano, sino man ang hihirit at magbibigay ng opinyon na merong nang posisyon — pabor o hindi pabor sa impeachment, pabor o kontra kay VP Sara — hindi namin gaanong bibigyan ng pansin dahil partisano nga sila (Whoever speaks with a partisan stance, whoever voices an opinion that aligns with a position — whether in favor or against the impeachment, in favor or against VP Sara — we won't pay much attention to them because they are partisan),” he said.

He reiterated that the House of Representatives spent two to three months mulling over previous impeachment complaints.

“The secretary general shall immediately refer to the speaker any impeachment complaint filed,” he said. 

“Tatlong impeachment complaint yung pinatulog nila ng mahigit dalawang buwan. Pero yung rules nilang nakalagay immediately, pwes kung ang depinisyon nila ng immediately ay mahigit dalawang buwan. ‘Wag naman nilang gamitan ng ibang standard ang Senado sa ibang salitang ginagamit ang forthwith (They let three impeachment complaints sit for over two months. But their rules state "immediately." So if their definition of ‘immediately’ is over two months, then so be it. But they shouldn't apply a different standard to the Senate when it comes to using the word ‘forthwith’),” he added. 

Escudero stressed the Senate would adhere to the provisions of the Constitution.

“Ang susundin namin ang Konstitusyon, ang batas, at kung ano ang tingin naming tama. Hindi kung ano ang dinidikta higit pa ng mga partisano at mga may mga may sarili nang posisyon kaugnay sa impeachment (We will follow the Constitution, the law, and what we believe is right. Not what is dictated by partisans or those who already have their own positions regarding the impeachment),” he said.