Pimentel: Special Session Will Speed Up Key Bills, Impeachment Proceedings

PIMENTEL: SPECIAL SESSION WILL SPEED UP KEY BILLS, IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said a special session would help move forward critical legislation and allow the impeachment court to formally convene.

In an interview on the DWIZ radio program Usapang Senado on Saturday, Pimentel underscored that the special session will provide an opportunity to address various important bills and speed up the impeachment proceedings.

"Marami kaming mga minamadaling panukalang batas, so pwede pa ring magbenepisyo yung mga yun sa special session," he said.

He cited the passage of a New Government Auditing Code and the amendments to the Cooperative Code.

Also included are the proposed Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy, Tax on Vape, E-Gov, and Capital Markets Reform.

"Kung tatlong araw ang special session, pwede na naming gamitin yung dalawang araw doon--o dalawa't kalahating araw--para sa mga panukalang batas na sinabi ko. So, parang binigyan kami ng additional na oras para maipagpatuloy namin yung proseso ng mga panukalang batas," he said.

The Senate would then formally convene as an impeachment court and begin preparations immediately to avoid wasting valuable time.

Pimentel noted that the Constitution requires action to be taken forthwith on matters such as impeachment, and he urged that the process be started without unnecessary delay.

"Binasa ko rin yung Constitution. Ang sabi doon, 'forthwith.' Ang ibig sabihin ng forthwith, mayroon ka rin dapat sense of urgency. Hindi naman ibig sabihin ng forthwith na dapat pagkatanggap mo, kilusan mo na agad. Hindi naman ganun. Pero, kunwari, pagkatanggap mo, kikilusan mo pagkatapos ng isang linggo, okay lang 'yon. Pag isang buwan, okay pa rin 'yon," he said.

Article XI, Section III (4) of the Constitution states 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 forthwith proceed."

According to Pimentel, any further postponement of the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte would violate this provision.

"Kung palalampasin mo ng tatlo at kalahating buwan, hindi na po forthwith 'yon," he added.

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