Stop playing prosecutor

Some senator-judges have forgotten why they are seated on the bench.

They are not prosecutors. They are not defense lawyers. Yet, judging by the exchanges in recent hearings, some seem determined to do everything except act like judges.

Cross-examining witnesses. Arguing over answers. Interrupting testimony. Even entertaining threats of contempt when a witness refuses to bend to a preferred narrative. That is not impartial justice. That is advocacy disguised in judicial robes.

An impeachment court is not a political arena where senators can audition for headlines or reassure allies watching from the sidelines. Every question should seek clarity — not confirmation of a political position already taken.

The Constitution does not give senator-judges a front row seat to prosecute, defend, or perform.

When a witness cites laws, auditing rules, and official procedures, the proper response is to weigh the evidence — not to wrestle with the witness until the answer becomes politically convenient.

The greatest threat to this impeachment trial is the perception that some senator-judges walked into the chamber with their verdict already written.

Justice cannot survive if the referees insist on joining the game. The Senate should stop acting like a courtroom full of politicians and start behaving like the impeachment court the Constitution demands.

— Jason Mago

Not a man of his word

As a man, my word is my bond. That’s how I was raised. That’s what my family and mentors taught me. When you give your word, you keep it. It becomes your personal law. That’s why I can’t help but look at this administration through that lens.

Former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno has said the President possesses line-item veto power over the national budget. If confidential funds were allocated to the Office of the Vice President, and even the Department of Education when Vice President Sara Duterte was its secretary, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ultimately allowed these appropriations.

They may have been legal, but they also had his approval.

Then there was the UniTeam. Political alliances are built on promises. Sara Duterte herself has publicly claimed that commitments made to her were not honored, leading to the spectacular collapse of what was once the most dominant political partnership.

Today, the administration speaks of accountability and going after the “big fish.” Accountability is always welcome. No one should be above the law.

But accountability also means accepting responsibility for the decisions you made, the alliances you forged, and the promises you failed to keep.

In my view, many of the political crises consuming the country today trace back to one thing: a President whose word did not hold.

— Carl Magadia

Whatchamacallit

Pulong Duterte criticized Commodore Jay Tarriela for speaking publicly about the West Philippine Sea. He accused officials like Tarriela of demonizing China.

Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said government officials who side with China on West Philippine Sea issues should consider resigning.

Tarriela and Teodoro are simply doing their jobs. They explain China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea. They present facts. They counter arguments.

They are not creating incidents. They are reporting them. Pulong says these issues should be handled through diplomatic channels.

Tarriela — a military officer trained in national security and maritime affairs who earned a degree in public policy in Japan — probably understands diplomacy better than most. He is implementing one of the Philippines’ key statecraft tools in the West Philippine Sea: the Transparency Initiative.

Calling out harassment, water cannon attacks, dangerous maneuvers, and violations of Philippine sovereign rights is not undiplomatic. Silence is.

Patriotism is not measured by how appeased you make Beijing feel. It is measured by how firmly you stand for your own country.

The previous administration chose accommodation and conciliation as its foreign policy. This administration has chosen transparency — and it has helped inform Filipinos, countered disinformation, built international support, and prevented Beijing from controlling the narrative.

States do not lose the narrative because they tell the truth. They lose it when they stop telling it. So no, it is not demonizing China. It is exposing China.

You are the one who labeled those actions with horns.

Stop demonizing China, Pulong.

— Vivienne Angeles