In a rather bold claim, House prosecution panel spokesman Antonio Bucoy said respected senators of the past would be embarrassed over how the Senate impeachment court for Vice President Sara Duterte's case was being handled.

Bucoy identified such senators as Lorenzo Tañada, Jose Diokno, and Joker Arroyo--late legal luminaries whom he personally learned the ropes from in his own journey as a lawyer.

Mahihiya sila. Ikahihiya nila ang mga ginagawa ng kasalukuyang Senado (They would be embarrassed. They would be embarrassed by what the current Senate is doing), Bucoy said in a press conference Tuesday, June 17, when asked how the trio would react had they been around to witness the impeachment court proceedings.

The prosecution spokesman shared that he was still a law student when he became a field investigator of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), founded by Tañada, Diokno, and Arroyo. The group extends help to those who need legal assistance.

Bucoy said the senators then were simply cut from a different cloth.

Calling a spade a spade. Kasi po iba yung komposisyon noon eh, iba, umaani ng respeto, Walang patutsada. Ngayon ho dahil sa actuations nila andaming patutsada (The composition back then was different, they earned respect. There were no snide remarks. Now, because of their actions, there’s so much snide comments), he said.

Based on the Constitution, the Senate impeachment trial must be held forthwith after the House of Representatives transmits the articles of impeachment. The lower chamber accomplished this last Feb. 5, or over four months ago.

But Bucoy rued that there was so much foot-dragging on the part of the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.

“Sa ngayon (For now), will there be a swift trial? It doesn’t look that way. There’s so much foot dragging on the part of the impeachment court. Also on the part of the impeached official,” said the lawyer-spokesman.

“Pero ito po, once ito ay umusad--pag-usad po nito sa panig ng prosecution--hindi ang prosecution ang magbibigay ng dahilan para maantala ito. Ang gusto ng prosecution, swift trial,” Bucoy said.

(But once this moves forward—once the prosecution pushes ahead—it will not be the prosecution that causes any delays. What the prosecution wants is a swift trial.)

He said the Senate should conduct an expeditious trial so it could refocus on its law-making job as soon as possible.

“Ayon po sa rules of impeachment, ang impeachment should be given priority at a certain hour, they should stop their legislative work and conduct the trial of impeachment. So nakahati ‘yung atensyon. So hindi ho maganda ‘yan dahil ‘yung paggawa ng batas na makakatulong sa ekonomiya ay naaantala. So mas mabuti na maging swift, maging mabilis ‘yung paglilitis para investor confidence is assured,” he explained.

(According to the rules of impeachment, the impeachment should be given priority at a certain hour, they should stop their legislative work and conduct the trial of impeachment. So their attention is divided. That isn't good because it delays the passage of laws that could help the economy. So a swift trial would be better to ensure investor confidence.)