The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has instructed his close aides to ensure that the impeachment trial calendar proceeds unimpeded as he approved an "interim arrangement" to ensure continuity of Senate operations amid leadership struggle in the chamber. The minority bloc on June 3 "ousted" Cayetano as Senate chief after it became the "new" majority bloc with 12 members after Sen. Francis Escudero abandoned Cayetano's group, which now have 10 members. The majority elected Sen. Win Gatchalian as Senate president pro tempore and acting Senate chief. They also designated Renato Bantug Jr. as the Senate secretary, replacing Jose Luis Montales, who belonged to Cayetano's bloc. In his June 7 letter, Cayetano directed Montales to discuss with Bantug Jr., possible interim administrative arrangements that would allow the Senate Impeachment Court to continue functioning without delay. Under Cayetano's approved calendar, the impeachment court is scheduled to issue the notice of pre-trial on Tuesday, signaling the start of the pre-trial proceedings. Cayetano said that while he maintains the June 3 reorganization was illegal in a “substantial and unmistakable” way, the controversy should not be allowed to paralyze the Senate, disrupt public service, or delay the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. He said that the political dispute should not be allowed to "unnecessarily disrupt the operations of the Senate, impair the work of the Impeachment Court, or diminish the institution's ability to discharge its constitutional responsibilities."
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