Impeachment clock runs out

At exactly noon today, the term of the 19th Congress ends.

- MARICHU A. VILLANUEVA

All unfinished legislative business of both the Senate and the House of Representatives are deemed over and done with. And from 12:01 p.m. onwards, the clock officially starts the first regular session of the 20th Congress. However, the official opening of session of both the Senate and the House will start only on the fourth Monday of the month, July 28.

By tradition, there will be a ceremonial opening of session later that day of both chambers of Congress at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. As usual, it will be capped by the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (PBBM). It will be his fourth SONA since assuming office at Malacañang in 2022.

And for the second time since she quit the Marcos Cabinet in July last year, Vice President Sara Duterte is snubbing anew the SONA of PBBM halfway through this administration.

Before the end of office hours last Friday, the Senate impeachment court received the House prosecution team's reply to the Answer Ad Cautelam of VP Sara. Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug Jr., who also serves as Impeachment Clerk of Court, confirmed receipt of the 37-page House counter reply.

"They're filing the pleading with caution. That's what ad cautelam means. In their mind, they'd like to reserve some arguments. In compliance with the order of the court, they filed their answer, but they're expressing they are doing so with caution," Bantug explained.

The VP submitted her counter reply two days after the 11-man House prosecution team complied partially with the two-point directives issued by Senate impeachment court.

Thus, the Senate President has since then been under fire for not acting 'forthwith' on the impeachment trial.