There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
From the looks of it, in exchange for redemption, Francis Escudero was persuaded (by whom, we can only guess) to switch to the bloc now headed by Sherwin Gatchalian, thus ending the Senate impasse arising from the boycott by Alan Peter Cayetano’s bloc.
The original Marites buzz was that Senator Chiz wanted to regain his post as Senate president, in exchange for saving the institution. (Admit it, you meanies; he did save the Senate from paralysis. If he hadn’t switched sides, we would all still be counting the lizards that fell from the ceiling after Mao Aplasca’s shooting rampage.)
By switching time, however, Gatchalian had already emerged as the most viable new SP, with even business groups declaring him as a stabilizing factor as the Senate spiraled into hell.
Aside from being SP, there’s another high-profile Senate position that could be attractive to someone battered by the public for his reinterpretation of “forthwith,” his questionable campaign donations and his failure to declare in his assets the huge Paraiba tourmaline ring that he gave to his wife Heart Evangelista.
The position? What else but presiding officer in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which Escudero had refused to conduct forthwith in the previous Congress.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who had lauded the switch of Escudero and Joel Villanueva to the Gatchalian bloc, had disclosed that the new 13-member majority was inclined to pick Senator Chiz as presiding officer in the impeachment court.
Gatchalian had also previously said that being a non-lawyer, he would likely give way to one of the two lawyers in their bloc – either Escudero or Francis Pangilinan – as presiding officer in the impeachment trial.
Is being the impasse breaker worth the reward?
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President Marcos, while stressing that the issue was up to the Senate and he would respect whoever would be selected, vouched for the capability of Senator Chiz to serve as impeachment presiding officer.
It tended to reinforce Cayetano’s accusation that Malacañang was behind his ouster as SP. In his bitter perorations on Facebook Live, Cayetano has described the current Senate majority as puppets of Malacañang.
You have to be living in a cave to believe that Malacañang does not influence power struggles in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. But which is better: being a Marcos puppet or a Duterte puppet?
Escudero denied reports that he was seen at Malacañang shortly before he switched sides and attended the last day of the Senate session.
His attendance on that day allowed the then minority to declare a quorum of 12, pronounce all positions vacant including that of then SP Cayetano, install Gatchalian as president pro tempore and acting SP, and adjourn the session sine die.
Escudero is known to be close to BBM and wife Liza. Controversy was even stirred after the first lady was seen casually grabbing the glass of champagne from the hand of then SP Chiz and taking a sip, during the 2024 Independence Day reception at Malacañang.
The first lady has said that she and BBM have known Escudero “like forever,” from their law school days, and they could engage in playful, casual interactions.
So BBM’s vouching for Escudero’s capability to preside over VP Sara’s impeachment trial is not surprising.
But others were unimpressed by Escudero’s legal credentials and law school ties, pointing out that nowhere in the Constitution does it say that the presiding officer in an impeachment trial must be a lawyer.
The firestorm that was ignited must have prompted Gatchalian to clarify that nothing was final yet, and that he could handle being the presiding officer – “kakayanin” – although he might need a lawyer as “impeachment manager,” possibly Pangilinan.
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Like certain other close friends and relatives of the Marcoses, Escudero was seen to have broken ranks after the administration began pursuing him in connection with the budget and flood control corruption scandal.
Since BBM launched his “mahiya naman kayo” shame campaign, several of his relatives and allies have openly wondered how far he intended to take his crackdown. Resigned House speaker Martin Romualdez has said that he won’t be a “scapegoat” and a “fall guy,” warning: “I will not go quietly, and I will not go alone.”
It will be much appreciated If BBM’s ex-favorite cousin can talk about the elaborate global money laundering scheme involving their clan, as alleged in a detailed article that came out last May 19 in Whale Hunting, a media platform created by former Wall Street Journal reporters. (You can check out “The Scapegoat” on project-brazen@ghost.io)
Cayetano’s camp has since presented 18 men who claim to be former bodyguards and bagmen of MIA ex-congressman Zaldy Co. The 18 claimed that they delivered suitcases of dirty money to the homes of BBM himself, his son Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro and Romualdez, among others.
As I have written, people who deem our political system to be rotten to the core can actually believe such accusations. Unfortunately for the truth, an ever-shifting narrative and numerous inconsistencies from the 18 (with four more men presented at their latest public appearance) have tainted their entire story.
Escudero, who was not in the original joint affidavit of the 18, was included in the revised list of alleged kickback recipients during that latest event, which even Cayetano’s bloc snubbed.
Coming on the heels of Escudero’s switching to the Gatchalian bloc, the latest revision of the maleta story fell flat; this narrative is now past its use-by.
Escudero is not yet off the hook though on the accusations linking him to flood control anomalies in his home turf Sorsogon and a top contractor in the province who contributed P30 million in a “personal capacity” (according to the senator) to his election campaign.
He and his wife Heart, who has resumed her showbiz career and foreign travels, also have yet to explain that Paraiba ring gift.
While such issues remain unresolved, there are those who disagree with the current Senate majority and believe Escudero should not serve as the presiding officer in VP Sara’s impeachment.
Still, with BBM issuing his statement of support, Senator Chiz might yet get to preside over the impeachment trial, this time forthwith.