Sen. Pia: Impeachment trial not a valid excuse to sideline RH bill

"Those who are vehemently objecting to the RH bill can offer every conceivable excuse to further push back plenary deliberations on this measure. But I take exception to one anti-RH senator's statement suggesting that our lawmaking duties would have to be sidelined by the impeachment trial. I disagree, because it is our job to continue our work even with the trial. We know we can do better than that by using efficient time management.

"It should be recalled that for the aborted impeachment trial of then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez seven months ago, the chamber agreed to adjust its schedule so it could take up legislative matters in the morning from Monday to Wednesday, while conducting the trial as an impeachment court in the afternoon from Monday to Thursday. I can't see why we can't adopt a similar approach for the impeachment trial of the Chief Justice."