Special session should discuss ‘unfinished’ legislative matters - Pimentel 

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said on Friday that some “unfinished” legislative matters must be discussed should President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. call for a special session amid the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. 

“It’s up to the President. But a special session of Congress can definitely help address the unfinished legislative matters,” said Pimentel in a message to reporters. 

The senator said that a special session would be more meaningful if Marcos would talk about pending important legislative matters such as the bills on judiciary fiscal autonomy, tax on e-vape, government rightsizing, chief state counsel, animal welfare, as well finalizing of the bicameral report on e-government bill, and revisiting of the bicameral report on capital markets reform. 

“Para magka-bicam na yung iba and/or maayos na ang final versions,” Pimentel noted. 

(So other bills can now undergo the bicam and the final versions will be worked out.) 

Once Congress tackles the pending proposed measures, then it could move to the impeachment of the vice president. 

“Tapos [pwede] na i-tackle ng Senate ang pag-convene nito as an impeachment court dahil isasama na ito sa business of the special session (on the part of the Senate),” said Pimentel.

(The Senate can now tackle convening as an impeachment court because it will be included in the business of the special session (on the part of the Senate).

“Once formally convened magkakaroon na ng sariling trial calendar ang impeachment court. Tuloy-tuloy na ito from day to day kahit mag-adjourn pa ang special session.” 

(Once formally convened, the impeachment court will have its own trial calendar. This will continue from day to day even after the special session adjourns.) 

Pimentel also said that should the 19th Congress fail to finish the impeachment trials, it will be continued in the 20th Congress. 

The Senate adjourned its sessions last February 5 without tackling the impeachment complaint endorsed by the House of Representatives on the same day.

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier said that President Marcos may call for a special session, but it has to be for the passage of necessary legislation. 

He added that the upper chamber may tackle the impeachment complaint upon the decision of the senators. —LDF, GMA Integrated News