Manila 1st district Rep. Ernesto Dionisio (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Manila 1st district Rep. Ernesto "Ernix" Dionisio says that mere common sense would tell you that the word "forthwith" means "immediately". 

Thus, said the House "Young Guns" bloc member as he wondered out loud what was causing the delay in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"Let's follow our Constitution at our sentido kumon, na pag sinabing 'forthwith', agad-agad (Let's follow our Constitution and our common sense, that when you say 'forthwith', it means immediately)," Dionisio said in a press conference Monday, Feb. 24.

Senate President Francis Escudero recently said that Duterte's impeachment trial would start in July after the convening of the 20th Congress.

This will have been five months after the House of Representatives transmitted the impeachment complaint against the Vice President to the Senate last Feb. 5, or during the tail end of the 19th Congress. 

"Ako lang kasi, forthwith nga eh, so without delay at agad-agad (As for me, it says forthwith, so it means without delay and immediately)," Dionisio said.

The Manila solon was referring to the 1987 Constitution, which indicated that the trial "shall forthwith [proceed]".

"I don't understand why...there's room for interpretation," he said in an exasperated tone.

"Maraming excuses na pwedeng gawin, maraming magaling...but at the end of the day, ang dali naman kasing intindihin eh. When you say forthwith, agad-agad (A lot of excuses can be made, there are a lot of experts...but at the end of the day, it's so easy to understand. When you say forthwith, it means immediately)," Dionisio explained. 

'This is not really for or against anyone. The Senate acting as an impeachment court is a venue for both parties to be heard. I think it's the most democratic and fair process kaya nga nasa Saligang Batas yun eh (that's why it's in the Constitution)," he said.

"So there's no reason para harangin, siraan, o gamitin pa sa pulitika (So there's no reason to block, to malign it, or to use it for politics)," he added.