Following a week of intense security turmoil, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday called on the public to maintain a watchful eye over the historic impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.
In a social media post, Lacson described the formal convening of the upper chamber as a welcome development, drawing a sharp contrast to the violence that gripped the legislative building in Pasay City just days prior.
“The stark contrast between the smell of gunpowder last week and the breath of fresh air in the Senate yesterday was evident when we convened as an impeachment court after all the parliamentary procedures were strictly followed,” Lacson wrote.
“May the public vigilance remain unabated,” he added.
The Senate officially reconstituted itself as an impeachment court on Monday afternoon, acting on the articles of impeachment transmitted by the House of Representatives on May 13. During the solemn proceedings, 23 lawmakers wore traditional maroon robes and swore their oaths as senator-judges, cementing their roles in the upcoming trial.
Conspicuously missing from the roster was Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Dela Rosa reportedly left the Senate premises before dawn on May 14, immediately following a high-profile shooting incident that erupted inside the building between personnel from the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and an agent of the National Bureau of Investigation.