Photo credit: House of Representative of the Philippines

With the Senate leadership issue now settled, former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is urging lawmakers to move forward and focus on what he says is their most important responsibility—the impeachment trial.

Barbers welcomed the election of Senate President Win Gatchalian, saying the resolution of the leadership question removes a major distraction and allows the Senate to concentrate on its constitutional duties.

“Now that the question of Senate leadership has been settled, the nation expects its institutions to return their full attention to the work required by the Constitution,” Barbers said.

According to Barbers, political contests and internal disagreements should no longer stand in the way of the impeachment process, which he described as a matter of national importance.

“The Filipino people have waited long enough. The issues before the impeachment court deserve to be heard, examined, and resolved through the proper constitutional process. Any unnecessary delay risks weakening public confidence in our institutions and undermining the public’s expectation of accountability,” he said.

Barbers stressed that the impeachment court's role is not to favor or target anyone, but to determine the truth through a fair and lawful process.

“The impeachment court exists for one purpose: to hear the evidence, uphold due process, and render judgment according to the Constitution. It is not a venue for partisan politics. It is a constitutional mechanism for accountability,” Barbers said.

He emphasized that facts and evidence—not political considerations—must guide the proceedings.

“Hindi maaaring mauna ang pulitika kaysa sa katotohanan. Ang tungkulin ng Senado ay malinaw: pakinggan ang ebidensya, sundin ang Konstitusyon, at tapusin ang proseso nang may integridad,” Barbers said.

For Barbers, the Senate now has an opportunity to strengthen public trust by showing that democratic institutions can function properly even during politically sensitive moments.

“The strength of our democracy is measured not by political victories but by the willingness of institutions to perform their duties even when the issues are difficult or politically inconvenient,” he said.

He added that the debate over who should lead the Senate has already been settled, and that attention should now shift to completing the impeachment process.

“The question is no longer who leads the Senate. The question now is whether the Senate will complete the constitutional duty before it,” he said.

Barbers also underscored the importance of ensuring that the final outcome is viewed by the public as fair and credible.

“Whatever the verdict may be, it must be one that the Filipino people can accept as the product of a fair, impartial, and credible proceeding. Ang mahalaga ay marinig ang ebidensya, masunod ang Konstitusyon, at matapos ang tungkuling ipinag-uutos ng batas,” he said.

As he concluded his statement, Barbers reiterated that with the leadership issue already resolved, there should be no further obstacles to carrying out the Senate’s constitutional mandate.

“Kapag nalutas na ang usapin ng liderato, wala nang dapat humadlang sa usapin ng pananagutan. Pakinggan ang ebidensya. Sundin ang Konstitusyon. Tapusin ang proseso,” Barbers concluded.