Senate opens pre-Sona session

MANILA, Philippines—The Senate on Monday formally opened its third regular session of the 15th Congress.

Both chambers of Congress are set to convene at 4 p.m. Monday at the House of Representatives to hear President Benigno Aquino III’s third State of the Nation Address.

Last Friday, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the Senate needs to discuss the issue on the membership of Congress representatives in the Judicial and Bar Council once session resumes. This is after the Supreme Court has ruled last Friday that only one member from the Senate or the House may represent Congress in the search for the next Chief Justice after it declared unconstitutional the current eight-member composition of the JBC.