Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson urged his fellow senator-judges to strictly observe designated speaking time limits during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing the need for order and efficiency as the Senate navigates the high-profile proceedings.
Speaking in a radio interview, Lacson highlighted that time discipline is essential to maintaining institutional credibility and ensuring smooth progress throughout the trial.
“Kailangan naming ipakita na may discipline kami. Pag sinabing two minutes, dapat two minutes,” Lacson said.
Injecting humor into the discussion, Lacson suggested that the Senate staff tasked with signaling the end of the allotted two-minute speaking window replace the traditional bell with a much louder instrument to ensure lawmakers adhere to the rules.
“Sinasabihan ko ang taga-batingting. Hindi ba pwede magdala ka ng sirena? Bukod sa batingting, magdala siya ng kalembang para mas malakas,” he remarked.
The proposal comes as the Senate explores multiple operational adjustments to accelerate the trial’s pace.
Among the strategies under consideration are moving session schedules to the late afternoon, clustering witness testimonies on a weekly basis, and structuring evidence presentation by specific articles of impeachment to eliminate redundant procedures.