Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
Senate President Pro Tempore

MR. PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES OF THIS AUGUST CHAMBER:

I RISE TODAY ON MATTER OF INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE PRIVILEGE TO EXPRESS MY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ESTEEMED MEMBERS IN THIS ASSEMBLY, THE SENATE OFFICIALS AND STAFF AND ALL WHO LABORED LONG AND HARD IN SUPPORT OF THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED IMPEACHMENT TRIAL.

MR. PRESIDENT, OUR PEOPLE HAVE WITNESSED THAT WE HAVE, AS A BODY SITTING AS AN IMPEACHMENT COURT, COLLECTIVELY WORKED HARD TO FULFILL A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE.

MR. PRESIDENT, IN THIS EXERCISE, WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED TO OUR PEOPLE AND TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT WE UPHOLD THE MAJESTY AND DIGNITY OF THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE, OF THE RULE OF LAW, AND OF THE CONSTITUTION

WE HAVE SHOWN, MR. PRESIDENT THAT WE CAN RISE TO THE OCCASION TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THOSE PRINCIPLES THAT WE HOLD DEAR BECAUSE THEY REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO A TRULY REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.

IPINAKITA NATIN SA SAMBAYANANG PILIPINO AT SA BUONG MUNDO, GINOONG PANGULO, NA KAYA NATING GAMPANAN AT TUMALIMA SA ISANG SAGRADONG TUNGKULIN NA INILAGAK AT INI-ATANG SA ATIN NG ATING SALIGANG-BATAS.

KUNG TAYO MAN AY NAGKAKA-IBA NG PANININDIGAN, IPINAGMAMALAKI KO NA ITO AY BAHAGI AT SIMBOLO NG ISANG TUNAY NA DEMOKRASYA KUNG SAAN ANG NAGKAKAIBANG TINIG AT PANANAW AY BINIBIGYAN NG NARARAPAT NA PAGDINIG.

I AM THEREFORE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART AND BEING PARTICIPANT IN THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL. I AM CERTAIN THAT HISTORY WILL LOOK WITH FAVOR ON OUR DECISION.

IKINARARANGAL KO NA AKO AY NAGING BAHAGI NG PAGLILITIS NA ITO. AT HIGIT KONG IKINARARANGAL ANG PRESIDING OFFICER AT ANG ATING MGA KASAPI NG SENADO SA KANILANG MALALIM AT MATIMBANG NA MGA KURO-KURO, PANANAW O PAG-UNAWA SA MASALIMUOT AT KUMPLIKADONG MGA BATAS.

SA MADALING SALITA, HINDI LAMANG ANG ATING MGA KABABAYAN NA SUMUBAYBAY SA PAGLILITIS ANG NAGKAROON NG MAGANDANG ARAL SA IMPEACHMENT KUNGDI AKO AT TAYONG LAHAT, GINOONG PANGULO.

WHAT WE DID HERE, WHAT WE SAID HERE, WHAT WE HEARD HERE WILL NOW BE A PART OF THE INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY TO BE ETCHED IN THE RICH AND STERLING HISTORY OF THIS NATION.

THEY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF STUDY, OF ANALYSIS, OF DISCUSSIONS NOT JUST OF LAWYERS OR LEGAL LUMINARIES, BUT THE ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO MUST BE NOW MADE TO BELIEVE THAT JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED AT ALL TIME WITHOUT COMPROMISE AND WITHOUT CONDITIONS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE BEQUEATHED TO THE COMING GENERATIONS OF LEGISLATORS, LEADERS, LAWYERS AND CITIZENS HOW AN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, OR ANY TRIAL FOR THAT MATTER, IS TO BE CONDUCTED AND HOW IT IS TO BE CONCLUDED.

THIS TRIAL IS NOW A TESTIMONY TO OUR COMMON AND COLLECTIVE DESIRES TO UPHOLD THE LAW AND DISPENSE JUSTICE WHEREVER IT MAY FALL.

I HOWEVER EXPRESS SADNESS ON THE VERY PAINFUL DECISION I HAD TO MAKE IN THIS TRIAL BECAUSE IT REFLECTS HARSHLY ON AN ERUDITE AND DISTINGUISHED MAN. BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LONG AND LARGER VIEW.

THIS, MR. PRESIDENT, NOW REPRESENTS THE LEGACY OF THIS 15TH CONGRESS OF THE SENATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES.

I RESERVE TODAY AND ALWAYS, HOWEVER MY MOST UNQUALIFIED ADMIRATION AND HIGHEST REGARD FOR THE SENATE-PRESIDENT, WHO AS THE PRESIDING SENATOR-JUDGE OF THE TRIAL, STEERED THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE MOST ORDERLY FASHION.

I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONGRATULATE YOU MR. PRESIDENT NOT ONLY FOR LEGAL ACUMEN AND YOUR GIFTED SKILL, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATION OF THE MINUTE DETAILS OF THE LAW AND JUDICIAL PROCESSES, BUT YOUR PROBITY AND IMPARTIALITY IN THE HANDLING OF THE MOST DIFFICULT EPISODES OF THE TRIAL.

MANY TIMES, AS I SAT THERE LISTENING TO THE ARGUMENTS OF THE CONTENDING PANELS, AND I HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR DECISIONS ON MOTIONS AND MANIFESTATIONS, I COULD NOT HELP BUT WISH IF I COULD ONLY HAVE HALF OF YOUR BRILLIANCE, OR EVEN A FRAGMENT OF IT.

UNDOUBTEDLY, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE SHOWN TO ALL, PARTICULARLY TO TRIAL JUDGES WHAT IT IS TO BE IMPARTIAL, TO BE OBJECTIVE, AND MOST OF ALL TO BE PREPARED.

YOU HAVE GIVEN US ALL A NEAT LESSON IN DECORUM, MATURITY AND PATIENCE, MR. PRESIDENT.

I AM CERTAIN THAT IT IS NOT ONLY US IN THIS CHAMBER OR THE LITIGANTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE TRIAL WHO NOW MAINTAIN THIS RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR YOU.

OUR PEOPLE HAVE SEEN HOW YOU HANDLED THE PROCEEDINGS AND THEY ARE ONE WITH US THAT YOU HAVE DONE A JOB SO WELL.

NOW I KNOW THAT THE YEARS NOT ONLY BRING WRINKLES, GOUT AND WHITE HAIR. THEY ALSO BRING WISDOM. THEY ALSO BRING FORBEARANCE. AND MOST OF ALL, THEY BRING RESPECT AND DIGNITY.

ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES AND THE PILIPINO PEOPLE, MARAMING SALAMAT SA INYONG PAMUMUNO GINOONG PANGULO.