Chiz vs 3 ex-Senate chiefs

Originally scheduled to grind starting today, the Senate leadership decided to reset anew the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

Out-of-the blue, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero announced last week he has decided to reset the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment to June 11 instead. This is two days before both chambers of the 19th Congress adjourn sine die.

VP Sara left last week to visit at The Hague her detained father, former president Rodrigo Duterte. She is due to return to Manila this week. Interviewed at The Hague, VP Sara "included" herself in the 88 percent of respondents in the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) that wanted her to face the impeachment and answer all the allegations against her. But before she left, VP Sara announced her every intention to face the impeachment trial. She likened to a "bloodbath" her face-to-face confrontation with her accusers at the Senate impeachment trial.

But this won't happen for now. Under a jointly approved calendar, both chambers of Congress spent almost three months of recess for the duration of the May 12 national and local elections. As it turned out, the next day, Escudero along with other leaders of Congress met with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM) at Malacañang Palace. As admitted by presidential spokesperson Claire Castro, PBBM convened the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) with Escudero and other senators and House leaders in attendance.

PBBM called for the LEDAC meeting on the eve of the resumption of Congress that is holding its third and final regular session until June 13. Castro claimed the impeachment of VP Sara was not tackled at all during the LEDAC meeting.