Romer Butuyan 
SA ilalim ng bagong pamunuan ng Senado, umaasa ang isang kongresista na uusad na ang pagdinig ng Senate impeachment court sa pagdinig sa kasong kinakaharap ng pangalawang pangulo.
Partikular na tinukoy ni Deputy Speaker at La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V ang pag-upo ni Senador Sherwin Gatchalian bilang bagong Senate President.
“It’s high time we focus on work. Saka kasama na rin po dun sa trabaho yung impeachment trial na magaganap,” wika ni Ortega.
“Maybe things will simmer down and at the end of the day, sabi ko nga makabalik na tayo sa mga trabaho natin,” dugtong ni Ortega.
Ayon sa ranking House official, umaasa ang sambayanan ang pagganap ng mga mambabatas sa nakaatang na mandato alinsunod sa 1987 Constitution.
“The Senate has done different impeachments before. So syempre inaasahan natin na maayos po lahat,” sambit pa ng kongresista.
Samantala, kumbinsido naman si Deputy Speaker at Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun na walang epekto sa impeachment trial ang petisyong inihain sa Korte Suprema kaugnay ng Senate leadership.
“The filing of a petition is not the same as the suspension of a trial. The mere filing of a petition concerning the leadership row in the Senate does not automatically stop the impeachment process. The petition does not even ask for it,” pananaw ng mambabatas mula sa Zambales.
“Unless the Supreme Court itself issues an order suspending proceedings, the process continues,” dagdag ni Khonghun.
Aniya, ang constitutional mandate tungkol sa impeachment ay patuloy na uusad sa kabila ng usaping legal na inihain sa high tribunal.
“The Constitution does not stop working simply because a case has been filed. The Constitution remains in force. The impeachment court remains constituted in accordance with the Fundamental Law of the Land. The Constitution still commands that trial proceed forthwith,” diin ng mambabatas.
Pinawi rin ni Deputy Speaker at Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin ang agam-agam ng publiko sa posibilidad na madamay ang impeachment trial sa pagdulog ng kampo ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano sa Korte Suprema.
“We should not confuse legal disagreement with constitutional paralysis,” anang Visayan lady solon sa publiko.
“The Supreme Court has its role. The Senate has its role. The House has fulfilled its role and is ready to prosecute its case before whomever holds the gavel of the impeachment court. Each institution can perform its constitutional duty without undermining the others. That is how a functioning democracy works,” giit ni Garin.
Aniya, ang pangunahing isyu na nais ng sambayanan na mangyari ay makita at marinig ang mga ebidensya laban sa nasasakdal at hindi ang bangayan at agawan sa trono sa Senado.
“What the public wants is simple: let the evidence be presented, let the defense respond, and let the truth come out.”
