Toby

[Nikki @macronikki]

Hindi mo kami kailangang warningan. Wala naman kaming tiwala sa lahat ng uniteam kuno, hindi kami tanga. Chosera.

[Rommel Lopez @RommelFLopez]

Example: Hindi pera ni Bong Go ang pinambabayad sa mga hospital thru Malasakit Centers.

Hindi pera ni Bong Revilla ang binibigay sa mga senior citizens.

[Raoul Manuel @iamRaoulManuel]

Congress (Senate and HOR) imposes upon itself a Legislative Calendar containing lots of breaks.

As elected legislators, we are expected to go beyond self-imposed session breaks so that we can perform our constitutional roles.

[VERA Files @verafiles]

Endorsed by 215 lawmakers, the impeachment process now moves to the Senate, where a trial will be conducted to determine Duterte’s culpability.  https://t.co/slofABPT3B

[Dean Mel Sta. Maria @deanmelofficial]

It is unfortunate that public accountability - which is the essence of honest governance - appears , in my opinion, to be treated lightly. To delay its official scrutiny is not the design of the Constitution ratified by the sovereign people. When it says that trial shall "forthwith" commence, it means without delay. There is no room for interpretation or a different kind of implementation. Sure, there will be a period of preparation. But that should be done now so that the hearing should start at the soonest possible time. A sincere obedience to the words of the Constitution and the spirit of its aspiration is the essence of an honest-to-goodness, effective, and trustworthy government. Madaming ordinaryong Filipino ang pagod sa trabaho pero nagpupursigi pa rin para maitaguyod lang ang pamilya. Hindi na sila nagbabakasyon. Ganyan klaseng ugali ang dapat ipakita ng mga senador --- sakrispisyo, pagpupursigi. Cancel ang bakasyon, recess, o anu pa man kung kinakailangan upang isulong ang pagsisiyasat sa isyung malaki ang epekto sa bayan.

[Patatas of Mindanao @tessgarcia]

Please file an ethics complaint against Bato. It’s really high time that this kind of kanto language should not be uttered again from Senators. Threat of bodily harm is serious.

[Bitchesa Patolera Basagulera😂 @wanakopake]

Akala mo drug free ang Davao? Fake news talaga😏

[Nikki @macronikki]

Sa mga DDS na nagkiclaim na nabudol sila ni BBM. Nabudol wld mean u were a victim and implies u were misled to look like fools.

News flash: you were already a fool by being a dds and that fact was very clear to all of us matagal na pwede ba. Tanga pa din kayo up to now.

[Leisbeth Recto @leisbeth_recto]

Sunog ang insensitive at bobong senador! 🔥🔥🔥

[Bob Blues Magoo @MagooBlues]

I hope Chiz-wiz Escudero realizes that his name will go down in ignominy in the history of the Senate of the Philippines. The worst and most corrupt.

[Audburn🩷💛#NoToPoliticalDynasty @56audrey57]

Hoy @senatePH pakinggan nyo ito. #WorstSenateEver

[The BenchWarmer @datumx11]

Kapamilya, don’t vote Jimmy Bondoc.

Malaki atraso!

[Pari Koy @pads_nosi]

pakisampal na lang po ng warrant ng ICC si Bato.

[iMPACT Leadership @iMPACTPH2019]

'DUWAG YANG SI BATO'

Senatorial aspirant and labor leader Atty. Luke Espiritu criticized Sen. Bato dela Rosa, calling him a coward for allegedly avoiding accountability in key national and international issues, amid backlash over Dela Rosa’s controversial threat to slap Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña for criticizing Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment remarks.

"Duwag yang si Bato dela Rosa. Takbuhin sa paputok, takbuhin sa ICC. (Basta wag mo akong takbuhan sa debate)," Espiritu posted on social media on Saturday, February 8.

His statement alluded to Dela Rosa's past actions, including an incident in 2016 when the then-Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and his men scrambled for safety during an inspection of a pyrotechnics center in Bulacan, as well as his stance on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) probe into the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

Espiritu also expressed solidarity with stroke survivors following Dela Rosa's remarks against Cendaña.

"Pakikiisa sa mga stroke victim. #WagKangBastos," he added.

Meanwhile, Cendaña responded to online attacks about his appearance.

"'TABINGI ANG MUKHA' ko dahil ang 'BAKLANG NGIWI' na ito ay stroke survivor. Yakap na mahigpit sa mga kapwa ko stroke survivor 🫂," Cendaña posted on social media earlier on Saturday.

[Dino Singson de Leon @iamdinodeleon]

SP Chiz Escudero is HUGELY MISTAKEN in saying that the impeachment case cannot proceed while Congress is on break.

1.The Constitution commands under Article XI, Section 3 (4) that: “In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate SHALL FORTWITH proceed."

The command is unequivocal – it uses the word SHALL. “FORTWITH” means immediately and without delay in plain English. The Constitution clearly did not use permissive language in this case.

2.Since Impeachable Officers occupy the highest and most important positions in the country, the Constitution precisely intended the accountability mechanism of Impeachment to be promptly accessible, which is why it used the word “forthwith.”

3.The constitution is straightforward, and it did not leave discretion on the part of the Senate on when to proceed with the trial. It DID NOT say “trial begins when the Senate decides” or “when it is convenient to the Senate.” It also does not distinguish whether the Senate is on break.

4.Speaking of, adjournment of the Senate only pertains to its legislative functions. The Senate is a continuing body as consistently upheld in jurisprudence. As a continuing body, its other functions that are not legislative in nature are unaffected by the adjournment, such as when it is canvassing votes for the presidential elections as the national board of canvassers (which is NOT a legislative function, see Pimentel v. Joint Committee of Congress, G.R. No. 163783, June 22, 2004), or in this case, fulfilling its mandate as an Impeachment Court which is distinct and separate from its legislative duties.

5.The fact that the Senators are fulfilling a separate mandate from their usual legislative roles in Impeachment proceedings is buttressed by the fact that the Constitution, under Article XI Section 3 (6), requires them to take a separate oath: “The Senate shall have the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. WHEN SITTING FOR THAT PURPOSE, the Senators shall be on oath or affirmation.” By the wording above, it is clear that the Constitution recognizes that Impeachment is a role with a different purpose from that of legislation.

6.Following the logic of Senate President Chiz Escudero that the Senate cannot be forced to assemble as an Impeachment Court while it is on break is VERY DANGEROUS. It seems to suggest that the Constitution intended for Impeachable Officials to be exempt from accountability when Congress is on break, which in this instance is a break of around 2 months or a delay in the action of the Senate of around 4 months. Surely, the Constitution did not intend for Impeachable Officials to be beyond accountability just because Congress is not in session, especially for offenses that are the most egregious in nature: culpable violation of the Constitution, commission of treason and other high crimes, bribery and graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust.

7.Perhaps most importantly, let us remember that Impeachment provisions of the Constitution are under the Article on Accountability of Public Officers, Section 1 of which states that PUBLIC OFFICE IS A PUBLIC TRUST. Indeed, the offices of Impeachable Officers under the Constitution remain to be a public trust even if Congress is on break. Public accountability is the priority when impeachment is initiated by the House. Once the House endorses the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, the Senators should fulfill their obligation to assemble as an Impeachment Court IMMEDIATELY. They CANNOT remain to be on break or vacation. While it may be inconvenient for re-electionists to sit as judges instead of campaigning, assuming public office meant that they should be ready to serve and respond to the call of duty, not just do whatever is convenient for them.

The Escudero Senate should know better. #ConvictSaraNow!

[patricia🌿 @pinaysipatricia]

Bato's unacceptable remark towards a stroke survivor must not go unpunished. Senate must sanction Bato by penalising him to preserve its integrity & respect for the rule of law.

[News5 @News5PH]

"ANG 'TAPANG' NAMAN"

Bumuwelta si Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña sa naging pahayag ni Sen. Bato dela Rosa ukol sa kanya. #News5

RELATED LINK: https://t.co/Hz4eL68nGb

[RJ Naguit @raymond_naguit]

Ang sigurado ako ay di tabingi/ngiwi ang prinsipyo ni @RepPerci. Ibang level ng low blow kapag ginawa pang insulto ang post-stroke effects. Shame on Bato!

[RACJ 🇵🇭🇨🇦 @racjcruz]

Lets do the leni type of winning, from 2% to Vice President. This time to Senate seat.