EDITORIAL - On the road to redemption

Another senator was placed under arrest and detained yesterday morning, and there were initial concerns that the minority bloc might boycott the start of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

But the trial got underway as scheduled in the afternoon, with Francis Escudero being elected as presiding officer by the majority and pushing through with the proceedings, this time forthwith.

Members of the minority led by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano were all present, except three with legal problems: Ronald dela Rosa, in hiding from an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity; Jinggoy Estrada, suspended for 90 days by the Sandiganbayan and detained without bail for plunder, and Rodante Marcoleta, who surrendered to the anti-graft court and also held for plunder.

Estrada and Marcoleta might yet get to participate in the proceedings and even vote, if the Senate goes along with Cayetano’s suggestion to have the chamber request the Sandiganbayan to allow it.

Escudero, who used to be part of what is now the minority bloc, opened the doors to such a possibility. As he assumed the post of presiding officer from Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, Escudero said 16 votes are needed to convict the Vice President, even with several senators unable to participate.

The statement drew jeers from groups that were against the idea of an impeachment court presiding officer who himself could face arrest for questionable contributions to his election campaign from a contractor of public works projects in his home province of Sorsogon.

Under Escudero, however, the first day of the trial was generally smooth. This was particularly impressive in the light of Marcoleta’s arrest, which was no longer met with mass protests by his sect the Iglesia ni Cristo.

The majority had previously said the trial would move faster and more efficiently with a lawyer as presiding officer. The bloc has only two: Escudero and Francis Pangilinan.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson nominated Escudero as presiding officer, and it was carried by a vote of 12-8. This was against the vigorous objection of the Cayetano siblings, who stressed that framers of the Constitution intended to have the Senate president serve as presiding officer in the impeachment trial of the vice president of the republic.

There was no gunfire, no weeping, no shoving or walkout or boycott. Considering the recent turbulence at the Senate, the impeachment trial was off to a relatively positive start. It might yet provide the redemption that the chamber badly needs.