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Breaking the impasse: Sen. Francis Tolentino, during Tuesday’s hybrid plenary session, September 28, 2021, introduces an amendment to Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1947 under Committee Report No. 150, or An Act Creating the Office of the Judiciary Marshals, to break the impasse between Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Sen. Richard Gordon on the provision granting judicial marshals the primary authority to investigate crimes against members of the judiciary. Instead of removing the entire provision as proposed by Dela Rosa, Tolentino proposed to rephrase Section 5 of the bill to read: “Section 5. Jurisdiction. The Judiciary Marshal shall have concurrent jurisdiction with other law enforcement agencies to undertake investigations of crimes and other offenses committed against justices, judges, court officials and personnel, halls of justices, courthouses, and other court properties.” Gordon accepted the Tolentino amendment. Under the bill, judicial marshals shall also ensure that court proceedings, trials, hearings, as well as judiciary seminars and meetings, are being conducted in an orderly manner. (Albert Calvelo/Senate PRIB)