Past and present leaders of the House quad committee (quad-comm) have expressed relief that there are no more impediments to the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, following Senator Sherwin Gatchalian's formal ascension as Senate President.

Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante Jr. and former Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the country needs wisdom, discernment, and principled leadership more than ever as it prepares to hold the high-stakes trial would determine whether or not Duterte stays on as Vice President.

On Thursday, June 18, members of the prosecution and defense teams participated in the first pre-trial conference for the Senate impeachment trial.

“With the Senate set to undertake one of the most solemn responsibilities assigned to it under the Constitution, we pray that its leaders will be guided by wisdom, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to truth and justice,” Abante said.

The Manila solon, a senior pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Ekklesia (MBBE), took over the reins of the vaunted quad-comm as its overall chairman in the current 20th Congress.

“The nation is watching. At moments such as this, our country needs principled leadership—leaders who will place the interests of the Filipino people and the rule of law above all other considerations,” Abante said.

“The Senate has an important role to play in preserving public confidence in our institutions. I am confident that Senate President Gatchalian understands the weight of that responsibility and will lead with the seriousness and impartiality that the times require,” he added.

Echoing these remarks were Barbers, the original overall chaiman of the mega panel during the previous 19th Congress.

"I commend our senators for setting aside internal differences and ensuring that the Senate can now fully focus on its constitutional responsibilities,” Barbers said.

According to the former three-term congressman, the impeachment process is too important to be delayed by political maneuvering or leadership disputes.

“Any unnecessary delay in the proceedings will not only affect the timely administration of justice but may also erode public confidence in our democratic institutions. The Filipino people deserve a process that is transparent, credible, and faithful to the Constitution,” he said.

The significance of the pre-trial conference also wasn't lost on the Midnanaoan.

"Ito po ang proseso na kung saan inaayos muna ng impeachment court ang mga isyu, ebidensya, mga testigo, at mga patakarang susundin bago magsimula ang aktuwal na paglilitis,” Barbers explained.

(This is the process where the impeachment court first organizes the issues, evidence, witnesses, and the rules to be followed before the actual trial begins.)

Barbers says that the Senate under Gatchalian "now has an opportunity to reinforce public faith in our institutions by proving that accountability, due process, and national interest remain at the heart of our democratic system".

Abante said of Gatchalian and the entirety of the Senate: "May God grant them wisdom, humility, and the strength to faithfully carry out the duties entrusted to them for the good of the nation."