Political ‘calisthenics’

For someone slim and fit, Senate President Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero is not taking any chances with his health, especially with the daily stress and pressures of his job. After all, the Senate President is the third highest elected official of the land in the line of succession under our country’s 1987 Constitution. Escudero revealed he does a lot of “walking” as his exercise to keep up with what he calls as the “calisthenics” of Philippine politics.

In our Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, Escudero brushed off as mere “calisthenics” all the political noises thrown his way as Senate President. The loudest of which are coming from the House of Representatives and their supporters demanding for the Senate to start “forthwith” the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. And lately, even issues involving the impeachment of VP Sara are being tied to the arrest and detention at The Hague of former president Rodrigo Duterte and have added to the on-going “calisthenics” in the current political drama in our country.

As far as he is concerned, Escudero believes he could keep up with the rigors of the “calisthenics” in Philippine politics.

The 55-year-old Senate President keeps himself physically fit by regular gym work-outs that include lifting weights and practical shooting to stay sharp. In fact, Escudero measures the steps he takes each day. As of last week’s measurement, he has logged 165,970 steps covering a distance of 118 kilometers, for an average of 23,710 steps a day.

Standing 5’6” tall and weighing about 68 kilograms, he is indeed in the best fighting form. Escudero was casually dressed in ripped blue jeans and black t-shirt, both Uniqlo, he quipped when we teased about his get-up that day.

Most importantly, Escudero disclosed he has been studying and reviewing laws, rules and procedures preparing for the biggest task he will soon assume as the presiding officer of the impeachment court.

The Senate President though remains unmoved on persistent calls for him to convene the Senate as impeachment court at the soonest possible time even while the 19th Congress is in recess. For the nth time, Escudero parried latest moves to push the Senate to do the House bidding to jumpstart the impeachment process. In a motion filed on Tuesday, House prosecutors led by 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan requested that the Senate issue “a writ of summons” to compel VP Duterte to respond to the specific charges against her as spelled out in the Articles of Impeachment.

“Bakit nagka-calisthenics siya (Libanan)? Sige, sasagutin namin siya. In due course, we will answer his letter. Although I think he already knows the answer,” Escudero retorted in his usual manner of speaking, rapid-fire fashion in Tagalog interspersed in English. “Basically, that’s what I said earlier. We cannot do what they (House lawmakers) are asking for simply because we are not in session. They should know about it,” Escudero pointed out.

“I will not engage in anything illegal,” the Senate chief declared.

Based on their jointly approved calendar, it was timed with the campaign period for the May 12 national and local elections. They will resume session on June 2 before the third and last regular sessions of the 19th Congress adjourns sine die. There are at least seven re-electionist senators and five “new faces” in the coming 20th Congress, he noted.

More likely than not, the Senate chief conceded the impeachment trial will cross over to the next Congress. Escudero could only wish whoever will be the five newly elected senators would already be well versed about legislative and impeachment processes.

“In this session, we (senators) will determine the approval of the Senate rules, which will outline the structure and appearance of the court. The Senate will also decide whether to convene the impeachment court, depending on the majority’s decision, and the process will continue during our recess before the actual trial is conducted when the new Congress begins,” he explained.

Escudero maintained that VP Sara can only be sent summons or be asked to comment only if the Senate has already convened as impeachment court. With June 2 as the earliest date the impeachment court can convene, the Senate will have to discuss first and approve their impeachment rules. Then the Articles of Impeachment will be read out on the Senate floor. Once all these procedures are over and done with, all the 24-man Senate, less one with the appointment of ex-senator Sonny Angara as Education secretary, will be sworn in as senator-judges.

Escudero estimated the earliest the Senate could issue a writ of summons for VP Sara would be on June 3. And that will be the proper time for the House prosecutors to present their pieces of evidence against her at the impeachment court.

“Instead of pressuring the Senate to start the impeachment trial, it would be better for them (House prosecutors) to use this time to prepare their evidence to present to the Senate and the public,” Escudero exhorted his House colleagues.

He likened the timelines of the impeachment case against VP Sara to her father’s alleged “crimes against humanity” case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. While the ICC has no “recess” like the Senate, the case of ex-president Duterte was filed in February this year but the “diffusion notice” was served to him by the International Police Organization (Interpol) only last March 11. But the pre-trial of Mr. Duterte will only be held on Sept. 23 this year, or six months later, Escudero noted.

In the case of VP Sara, the impeachment case was filed in February but the pre-trial, Escudero admitted, will actually start a day or two after the July 28 joint opening session of the new Congress. Between now and then, Escudero ruled out with finality that there won’t be any special session of Congress as another option to start the impeachment.

It is also on that day President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) will deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA), with no VP Sara likely in the audience.