The House of Representatives through its spokesperson lawyer Princess Abante expressed equal parts appreciation and relief toward the Senate's decision to move forward with Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial.
"The House of Representatives welcomes this development. Ginalaw na po ang baso (The glass has been moved)," Abante said in a press conference Tuesday, June 10, referring to a Ouija board.
"Nakinig na po ang Senado sa mga pahayag hindi lang Kamara kung di ng iba't ibang sektor ng lipunan (The Senate has listened to the statements of not only Congress, but of the other sectors of society)," she said.
During plenary session Monday night, June 9, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero finally took his oath as presiding officer of the impeachment trial. The oath-taking of the other senator-judges are expected to take place during plenary session Tuesday.
This action took place over four months after the House submitted the seven articles of impeachment against Vice President Duterte.
A Ouija board--also known as a spirit board or a talking board--is used to communicate with spirits or the afterlife. The glass is used to spell out messages during seance.
"Handa naman na po ang Kongreso, ang House of Representatives sa kanilang role sa impeachment trial (The Congress, the House of Representatives, is prepared to fulfill its role in the impeachment trial)," Abante said.
She say that the 11-person House prosecution team in the trial "is ready and continues to get ready".
As for the persisting uncertainties with how senators would handle the trial--if indeed they intend to--Abante says the 1987 Constitution must reign supreme.
"The Speaker has always said that he leaves it to the discretion of the Senate how they will act on the impeachment trial. But there are various experts both from the academe and legal sectors that say that senator-judges cannot move to dismiss the trial on their own," she said.
"So kung ano man ang magiging desisyon nila, ang hiling lang po natin ay maging faithful sila sa alituntunin ng Konstitusyon (So whatever their decision may be, our only request is that they remain faithful to the principles of the Constitution). Because in a society that follows the rule of law, the Constitution will always be supreme," the lawyer further said.