The first week of the impeachment trial has been less of a circus act than a televised—and heckled—law classroom. The prosecution team consistently delivered flubs, with the defense team naturally pouncing on their fumbles and politely sneering at their ineptitude.
In effect, the trial has become muddled by showmanship and by the debate over technicalities. Can you blame senator-judges like Franklin Drilon who step into the fray and attempt to inject order into the proceedings?
The evidence produced in the first week, meaning the leaps the trial itself has made, has come from Senator Drilon’s insistence on staying on track. He is, after all, no stranger to high-profile cases and a veteran of ferreting out the truth—to the extent that he cries on national television when the accumulation of delaying tactics get the best of proceedings. It will be a step backward for everyone involved if he inhibits. I, for one, am glad that there seems to be no unopened envelopes in the horizon.
—GILLIAN STA. ANA,
jillsantaana@gmail.com