Impeachment court's buzzer rings, Raffy Tulfo questions 'speaking time' disparity

The impeachment court's tiny buzzer stole the spotlight on Wednesday, July 22, as Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo openly questioned the disparity in speaking time among his colleagues. Tulfo alleged that while some senator-judges were allowed to speak for five to 10 minutes, others, particularly from the majority, were cut off almost immediately after two minutes. "We've noticed it," Tulfo stated, implying a lack of fairness in the proceedings. He admitted to nudging Senate secretariat staff to ring the buzzer when colleagues exceeded their allotted time, saying, "Sometimes I even whisper to the staff there, 'Hey, ring the bell so the others can have a chance to speak.'" Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero, however, asserted that "there's no majority nor minority. We are all senator-judges," emphasizing the need for impartiality and adherence to time limits. During the trial, Escudero identified the "mystery bell-ringer" as Anika, a lawyer from the Senate secretariat, drawing laughter from the courtroom. Senators are typically given two minutes each to speak, with timers paused when a senator is not talking. Digital clocks are also present in the session hall. Despite these measures, some senator-judges, including Senators Pia Cayetano and Imee Marcos, were observed to stretch their time. At one point, male senator-judges were seen intently watching the buzzer while Marcos was questioning a witness. Senator Erwin Tulfo was also seen taking the buzzer from Anika and placing it on their table. Although Kiko Pangilinan eventually returned the buzzer to the secretariat, Raffy Tulfo turned around and pressed the bell behind him, though Senator Marcos continued speaking. The trial adjourned at 4:41 pm. With nine trial days completed, approximately 83 days remain if the current estimate of 92 trial days holds. Some hope to finish the trial before Christmas, with Anika, the bell-ringer, or the presiding officer potentially playing a role in speeding up the process. Information Source: Rappler Philippines