From “forthwith to fourth month”, and from “maurag to makaurag”

When Chiz Escudero was rumored to run for Philippine President in 2010, hopes among Bicolanos soared high. Finally, a Bicolano sitting in the highest post in the land was in sight after the failed bids of Raul Roco. But, reading the crystal ball that the odds are in favor of Noynoy Aquino, the bright boy from Sorsogon chose to stick his but in the Senate.

But things weren’t cheesy after all. The political momentum he gained among his supporters mellowed down and he got stuck in the Upper Chamber of the Congress until he had to rest for a while because of term limitations and run for governor. He eventually returned until some stroke of luck catapulted him to the Senate Presidency. At least, he became a President, albeit in the Senate only.

*Senate President Francis Escudero presiding the Impeachment Proceedings of Vice President Sara Duterte.*

Even then, luck smiled at him as Sara Duterte was impeached. By virtue of succession, if Sara is removed from office, Chiz would automatically become the Vice President — a post he aspired for in 2016. But he is so pa-“cute” that he squandered the opportunity by dribbling the Impeachment Case and delaying the impeachment proceedings. Instead of convening the Impeachment Court “forthwith”, he convened it later … in the fourth month after the Articles of Impeachment was transmitted by the House of Representatives. And last night, June 10, he allowed the session to be run by Sara’s lawyers in the Senate that the Articles of impeachment were remanded to the Lower Chamber — something that was not found in the Constitution. And Chiz, the “maurag na Bikolano” became the “makaurag na Senador” not only for the Bikolanos but also for the rest of the 88% of the Filipinos.