I CAN’T help but chuckle at the word “limbo” that a newswriter used to describe the botched impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday afternoon. Let’s be clear. I am for the country; Therein lies my loyalty. Meaning, I want an impartial trial that will allow the vice president to clear her name. That’s the rightful thing to do, if we are to follow through with our oft-repeated but smirked-on pronouncement that the Philippines upholds the rule of law. (Seriously, we can’t even eradicate vote-buying in Bohol, haha!)
Oh boy, I wasn’t even thinking of writing this senate brouhaha for a column story this week, but as I sat down listening to my dogs (an adult dog and a pup) barking at each other — can you see the parallel universe I am talking about? — I couldn’t help but gobble up the news stories yesterday afternoon, and finally considered, although gradually, to plunge in and pen it. It’s the dogs!
Let’s zero in on “remand.”
Some senators argued that they just ordered the return of the impeachment case to the lower chamber and did not dismiss it. Am I supposed to be impressed with that argument? In my research, “remand” in legal legalese means “to send back a case from a higher court to a lower court for further proceedings or action, or to send an accused person back into custody to await trial.”
For reference, let’s hear what constitutional law expert and University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law professor Dante Gatmaytan articulated: “The remanding of the case had no legal basis, adding that there was no point in returning the case to the lower chamber.” “It is only the Supreme Court that can determine the constitutionality of the acts of the House of Representatives,” Gatmaytan asserted.
Meanwhile, UP Law faculty member and constitutional law professor Paolo Tamase said the Senate’s role in the impeachment trial proceedings was to try and decide. The upper chamber, according to Tamase, was not supposed to supervise or order the House on what to do in the impeachment case. “It (remanding of the case) violates the constitutional structure. The House and Senate are constitutionally equal, even if they have different roles in impeachment,” the law professor explained.
So, there. It’s like we are watching a game. Call it volleyball, ping-pong, or whatever suits your athletic taste, but what a performance!
I beg to differ with one gleeful senator. It’s not a win for his camp. If you are a patriot — but are you, given that you suck up to a political patron forgetting that it is the Filipino people you serve, your sworn duty is to your country first! What’s the victory there? That you can delay a proceeding that will deprive a vice president of clearing her name? Is there a reason to be afraid of this impeachment trial? This senator certainly leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Your perceived win is the country’s loss, dammit! But then again, who voted for him, aha!
The next question to ask is, “Is there a chance for the impeachment proceedings to go to a full trial?” The newswriter said, “The answer lies in the 20th Congress since the proceedings will spill over in a few weeks. For now, the impeachment trial is surely in limbo.” Truly, the trademark of the Philippines!
However, I wonder why we are scandalized by the behavior of most of the senators? Are you? Isn’t this the era where pragmatic politics is the vogue? Being a practical politician is now the trend. Every action and decision of a sitting senator, congress representative, governor, mayor, boardmember, councilor, barangay captain, kagawad, is already a practical move—meaning, calculations have been made to ensure that they benefit from the decision and, more importantly, stay in the position. That’s the ballgame now. Is there principled politics today? I’m afraid not.
Well, you can contend that the five senators are the exception. But, overall, principled leadership is no longer the trend because it is the exception rather than the rule. Gone are the days of patriotism; Welcome political patronage, pragmatic politics, political dynasties, and “what’s in it for me?”
There is nothing to celebrate about this. This is a loss for the country.
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The writer hosts Woman Talk with Belinda Sales every Saturday, 10 a.m., at 91.1 Balita FM Tagbilaran City. Email at belindabelsales@gmail.com. X @ShilohRuthie./PN
