What price impeachment

Malacañang on Saturday acknowledged the cost of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial on the legislative schedule after the Senate succeeded in passing only four bills since the trial started in January.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the administration remains hopeful that Congress will be able to pass priority legislation, like the proposed amendments to the anti-money laundering law.

“We understand the heavy burden on the Senate because of the impeachment trial. But again we remain confident that the Senate (is) very cognizant of the things that are on their plate,” Valte told state-run dzRB radio.

“We have already made our concern known about the amendments to the anti-money laundering regulations so that we wouldn’t be blacklisted. We’ve already made that concern known to them,” she said.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. wrote Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on the need to pass the two measures to strengthen the country’s anti-money laundering statutes.