Forthwith

I asked Google to define "forthwith": forth-with (especially in official use) immediately; without delay. Similar: at once; instantly; right away; now.

- BOO CHANCO

Retired Supreme Court Justice Adolf Azcuna said he was the one who drafted Art. XI of the Constitution in the Constitutional Commission. "I also wrote the procedural section including the word 'forthwith'... and it is precisely meant to mean immediately and without unreasonable delay, or in the national language official version, 'agad-agad.'"

But Senate President Chiz continued to pretend his understanding of "forthwith" does not mean immediately or right away.

"Kung ang intention 'nyo po ay 'yan talaga, sana sinulat 'nyo po 'yan sa Constitution. Pati ang paggamit ng salitang 'forth-with,' sana ginamit 'nyo na 'immediately.'"

Hay naku, Chiz... Peyups ka pa naman from grade school to college, hindi mo alam ang meaning ng 'forthwith' ay 'immediately'?

Besides, the official national language version of the Constitution uses the word 'agad-agad.' Surely, you must know what that means.

Chiz is obviously feigning ignorance with the intention of manipulating the situation to favor VP Sara. He used "forthwith" in a press statement last year when he admitted a protocol license plate issued to his office was attached to the sport utility vehicle that sped away after it was flagged down by traffic enforcers for illegally using the EDSA Busway.

"I do not personally use the protocol license plates issued to me and forthwith, the protocol plates involved in the incident will be surrendered to the LTO," Escudero said in a statement.

Personally, I wouldn't use the word 'forthwith' instead of 'immediately.' But Escudero and Azcuna are both lawyers, and lawyers are fond of using archaic words instead of easy-to-understand everyday words.