Second-guessing the Senate

What does it mean for the impeachment trial, now that more than a majority of senators are reportedly supporting Senate President Chiz Escudero in the 20th Senate?

As many as 16 senators have already signed a resolution expressing support for Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero to remain as Senate president in the 20th Congress, Senator JV Ejercito said Tuesday [July 8]. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/

It would seem that the 16 include the DDS senators.

Wednesday, [Senator Bato] Dela Rosa announced that the Duterte bloc, now known as Duter7, has pledged its support for Senate President Francis Escudero, who has been widely criticized for delaying the impeachment trial.

While he expressed uncertainty about the commitment of fellow Duter7 member Sen. Imee Marcos, Dela Rosa stated that the bloc is generally inclined to support Escudero’s continuation as Senate president.

Duter7 comprises Senators Dela Rosa, Marcos, Bong Go, Rodante Marcoleta, Robinhood Padilla, Camille Villar and Mark Villar. https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/07/10/

Samantala, Senator Tito Sotto‘s bid for the senate presidency is down to three supporters.

Senator Migz Zubiri said on Monday, July 7, [that he] is supporting Sotto’s bid, though he admitted they currently lack the numbers. He said the so-called “Veterans Bloc”— composed of himself, Sotto, and senators Loren Legarda and Ping Lacson — is also backing Sotto. https://www.rappler.com/

16 for Chiz and 4 for Sotto makes 20. Which leaves Senators Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, and Kiko Pangilinan.

Senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan are likely to join the Senate majority in the 20th Congress, with expectations that they will chair the committees on education and on agriculture, respectively, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said yesterday.  https://www.philstar.com/

Senator Migz Zubiri said on Monday, July 7, that opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros would be “most welcome” to join the Senate minority bloc of the 20th Congress if her allies, Senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, ultimately decide to join the majority. https://www.rappler.com/

Sa tingin nila, nag-iisa na si Senator Risa.

MIGZ. I really feel sorry for Senator Risa. You know, she was always campaigning for her candidates. Then she said she would form her own independent bloc, but now she’s all alone. That’s what I heard, she’s now all alone. I cannot confirm or deny this. https://www.rappler.com/

So far neither Bam nor Kiko has confirmed or denied any of it, which tends to give credence to reports na pinagiisipan pa nila. Of course, the pinklawan Akbayan punditz are very upset. Is this any way to treat the lady, abandoning her, after she had campaigned for them, begged voters to vote for them, para may kasama, kakampi, siya sa senado?

Hmmm. I’m not sure the surprise spectacular showing of Bam and Kiko — #2 and #5 — was thanks mainly to Risa’s Akbayan pull. There was the INC, too, for Bam, and the Liberal Party for KiBam, and let’s not forget the Kiko-Shawie show-up at a Palace event celebrating Philippine cinema. I mean, you know, huwag naman angkinin sina Bam at Kiko.

Besides, I’m not (yet) convinced that a supermajority for Chiz as SP means a supermajority for dismissal of the impeachment complaint. I wouldn’t put it past Chiz to dangle committee chairmanships in exchange for the SP post but without compromising the impeachment.

Dela Rosa, who failed to get the impeachment case dismissed during the 19th Congress, said he plans to bring up the question of jurisdiction in the plenary after the 20th Congress opens on July 28. https://www.manilatimes.net/

I imagine that Chiz will allow Bato to try again, and that, after some debate, the question will  be decided by a majority vote based, I pray, not on fears of this or that consequence but, purely on the Senate’s constitutional mandate to hold certain very powerful public officials to the highest standards of accountability and integrity.

And yes, kahit matuloy ang trial, senators could block the opening of the Dutertes’ bank accounts, kung meron nga, but that’s par for the course. Whichever way it goes, much will be revealed, and we will all be the better (informed) for it.

As for Senator Risa, in her place I wouldn’t mind being the lone wolf, not if | when I have friends in the majority.

Whistleblowers, cyberlibel, impeachment

I tend to believe Senator Risa‘s story.  Whistleblower Michael Maurilio alias “Rene”, who testified in the Senate in early 2024 vs. KOJC lord Apollo Quiboloy, texted her last June 22 and 23 saying he had been kidnapped and was being held in a KOJC property in Davao City.  The very next day the June 24 YouTube video, allegedly of “Rene”, without the shades, facemask, and baseball cap, was released, taking back everything he said in 2024, this time accusing Risa of bribing him with a million bucks to lie under oath and testify against Digong, Sara, and Quiboloy. Senator Risa denies it all, of course, and without evidence that “Rene” lied the first time and speaks the truth now, it does seem to me like a case of witness tampering.

The DDS v/bloggers, however, who are mostly Quiboloy defenders, seem to believe “Rene”, or should I say, tend to give credence to his recantation, that is, to give him, and not Senator Risa, the benefit of the doubt. Even, to suggest that it was, is, all part of the senator’s alleged early campaign to run for president come 2028. Which, to my mind, only makes that “recantation” seem like part of a DDS campaign to discredit Senator Risa who could indeed pose a serious challenge to Sara come 2028.

At saka si “Rene” nga ba ‘yon? O kahugis at kaboses lang? Looking forward to NBI findings, also with regard to the 12 b/vloggers who disseminated the recantation video and its claims vs Risa accompanied by a lot of namecalling, from shokpok to evil to tanim-witness, atbpang pandudusta.

And meanwhile, economist Cielo Magno and Commodore Jay Tarriela have filed cyberlibel complaints vs. a DDS b/vlogger (one of the 12 named by Senator Risa) for malicious imputations damaging their reputations. At samantala rin, another whistleblower has surfaced, this one in the case of the missing sabungeros, accusing gambling lord Atong Ang of being the mastermind, na tila pinaniniwalaan ni DOJ Sec Boying Remulla.

Not that any of it is distracting from VP Sara’s impeachment case. Buhay na buhay pa rin ang balitaktakan sa social media, thanks to Ronald Llamas, who’s everywhere, kahit paulit-ulit lang, haha, but I guess it works.

I get asked kung sa palagay ko ay matutuloy pa ba ang trial, and I think yes, but not without more delaying tactics first. I also get asked kung kanino ako for senate prez, Chiz o Tito, and I say Chiz, despite all the bad press he’s getting, just because I choose to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I do think we need a lawyer to sit as Presiding Judge. Better him than Cayetano or Marcoleta.

19th Senate — “extreme cowardice” or “misplaced mercy”?

YEN MAKABENTA: With its refusal to do its constitutional duty to try Vice President Sara Dutere on an impeachment complaint filed against her by the House of Representatives, the Senate and its leadership have shown extreme cowardice in refusing to convene as an impeachment court and try the case.

This is institutional cowardice that should be rewarded accordingly. The nation should now study how it can sensibly fairly respond to this defiance of a constitutional mandate.

I don’t always agree with Makabenta and I’m not sure a constitutional amendment is the answer just because that would take, like, forever, but I have long wondered if the 18 senators who voted to remand the Articles of Impeachment are really just super wary, even scared, of displeasing the Dutertes who, according to the ICC Prosecution, still wield considerable influence especially in Davao.

Prosecution’s response to ‘Urgent Request for Interim Release’

16. In his capacity as the former President of the Philippines, Mr Duterte held the highest political office in the country for a period of six years. As a result of this position, Mr Duterte has maintained a network of support from powerful individuals within the Philippines. Further, many of Mr Duterte’s associates—including his family members—remain in positions of power with access to powerful domestic networks. This includes his daughter, Sara Duterte, who is Vice President of the Philippines and has made her position clear that she views her father’s detention at the Court as illegitimate. Further, in his filing before the Philippines Supreme Court, Mr Duterte’s counsel highlighted his current strong influence over the police in his home town of Davao – the same police department that the Prosecution alleges was involved in murders at his direction during the mayoral period.

23. Further, if released, Mr Duterte would have greater access to his associates and family who remain in positions of power with access to networks and personnel to carry out witness interference. As noted above, his daughter, Sara Duterte, is Vice President of the Philippines and a reserve colonel in the Army with strong links to the police and military. In these positions, she wields power and influence over governmental structures, as well as over her father’s former allies and supporters. Mr Duterte’s son, Sebastian Duterte, was the Mayor of Davao City. Following Mr Duterte’s election as Mayor, he now serves as Vice Mayor of Davao City. Under the relevant legislation, as Vice-Mayor, he performs the duties of the Mayor in the event of the absence of the Mayor and has the same powers and duties as the Mayor. Sebastian Duterte therefore maintains operational control under relevant domestic legislation for all police officers in Davao City.

And then again, could it also be a case of “misplaced mercy”, as in, nakakaáwà naman kasi sila, nakakulong na nga ang matanda, ii-impeach pa ang anak? Ito ang sumagi sa isip ko nang sabihin ni SP Chiz a few days ago that dismissal by a simple majority is still a possibility (or something like that) at ng isang senador, si  Alan “Remand” Peter yata yon, that the Supremes would then have to rule on the matter and if they take too long, well, then, there’s always next year. Ganoon.

Ang balita naman ni Ronald Llamas, Akbayan propagandist-cum-politicalheckler, on Chris Tan‘s Filipino.com chikahan kahapon, nagtawág daw si SP Chiz ng meeting ng mga senador bukas, a Sunday, “the day before June 30 kung saan hindi na sila 19th congress, biglang sinet.” Anong layunin, indeed. To dismiss the case?

Nagtataka lang ako na walang ibang media na nagbabalita ng miting na iyan. Did I hear wrong? If not, saan kaya napulot ni Llamas ang balita? Sinong nagbulong sa kanya? Credible ba? Imbitado ba lahat ng senador? Aling mga senador? 19th Senate ba, o 20th Senate na? Why is no one asking? Sa totoo lang.

Trump theater

Waking in Washington to find the ceasefire he had brokered the night before had been violated by both sides, Trump told the media: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.”

That was Donald Trump on Tuesday blasting at Israel and Iran for not immediately honoring the ceasefire that he had brokered, announced, declared, ordered Monday night. Which got me wondering if Trump himself knows what the fuck he’s doing, happily doing the heavy bombing for Israel in its war with Iran, a chance to show off those mighty macho 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator “bunker buster” bombs, but to what end? Make sure Iran never gets to produce nuclear weapons? But why is it bawal for Iran but not bawal for Russia, the U.S., China, France, UK, India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea? Kasi daw “terrorist” ang Iran. Pero di ba terrorist din silang lahat, frightening each other and the world with their nuclear weapons?

So today, Wednesday, the first item on my news feed is New York Post‘s “Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize over Israel-Iran cease-fire”.

In a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) recommended Trump for the prestigious prize “in recognition of his extraordinary and historic role in brokering an end to the armed conflict between Israel and Iran and preventing the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet.”

Hmm. Did Trump agree to help out Israel with the proviso that all attacks would stop the moment he said stop! so that he could proclaim himself the great peacemaker of all time, even when he is nothing of the kind, and certainly not deserving of a Nobel? Will the ceasefire even hold? For good? Is it all just for show, to best Obama?

Unless, of course, he manages to take it farther, higher, and prevails on his BFF Bibi Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza and the West Bank, and to go for a two-state solution with Palestine. For real. For good. THAT would be Nobel-worthy. Bless Trump. Hallelujah Trump.