THE IMPEACHMENT process that has started has brought some measure of stability to the nation. It perked up the financial markets, causing the peso to gain 52 centavos last Tuesday--it closed at 49.38 from Monday’s 50.35 to the dollar--and making the stock market climb by nearly 14 points. Even on the parliament of the streets front, there is an atmosphere of calm, although we cannot predict yet what will happen during the Welgang Bayan on Nov. 27.

It is well that the majority in the House decided not to question the manner of referral of the articles of impeachment to the Senate by then Speaker Manuel Villar. A majority motion would have delayed the impeachment process and further angered people who would like the proceedings to begin as soon as possible. The majority also probably got a hint from President Estrada himself who said he wanted the process speeded up so that he would have an opportunity to present his side.

The Senate is also to be commended for agreeing quite quickly on a set of rules of procedure for the impeachment. A delay would again have provoked militant groups seeking the ouster of the President to hold more demonstrations, rallies and strikes.

Everything seems to look normal now. But the start of the impeachment proceedings should not mean a stop to the rallies urging the President to resign. The two processes--impeachment and resignation--are not mutually exclusive. The President still has the option to resign although the impeachment process has started and although he has time and again said that he would never resign. But the government should not crack down on people who want to continue holding rallies and demonstrations calling on the President to resign. The people have the right to speak freely and to peaceably assemble to express their opinions and ideas.

Let us offer the following pieces of unsolicited advice on the matter of the impeachment of President Estrada:

o There is a report that only the government station, PTV-4, will be allowed to cover the impeachment proceedings. We urge that this plan be reconsidered, and that all media outlets be allowed to cover the trial. The nation and the entire world should be allowed to watch and monitor the proceedings through the electronic and print media.

o The Senate will be converted into a court for the duration of the impeachment trial. Proper court decorum should be observed during the proceedings. This means that no public demonstrations of any kind--whether for or against the President--should be allowed inside the hall. The Chief Justice, who will preside over the trial, will have to enforce the rules strictly.

o A certain area outside the Senate, however, should be designated to allow the pro- and anti-Estrada groups to present their sides to the Senate and the people at large. A report that militant groups plan to serenade the 22 senators with Christmas carols and send Christmas cards and a ‘‘12 days of Christmas’’ wish list to them looks encouraging. It could set a peaceful and non-confrontational tone for subsequent demonstrations. The pro and anti groups can disagree, but they don’t have to resort to violence.

o We hope the 22 senators who, together with the Chief Justice, will try the impeachment case; the 11 prosecutors from the House; the lawyers for the defense; the lawyers who will assist the two panels; the witnesses; and other people who will be directly involved in the trial will not lose sight of the objective of the process, which is to find out the truth about the charges. Let us not resort to delaying tactics and convoluted technicalities to becloud the issue. We repeat: the objective is to find out the truth, and it will be on the basis of this truth that a finding of guilty or not guilty will be returned (or so we hope).

President Estrada will go on trial during the impeachment proceedings that will begin today. But it is not just the President who will be on trial. It will also be the Senate that will be on trial. It will also be prosecutors and lawyers of the prosecution and the defense who will be on trial. The constitutional process of impeachment will also be on trial because this is the first impeachment in the history of the Philippines. The entire nation will also be on trial, in that we will see how people will behave and react to the proceedings. The world will be watching us. We hope and pray that the Senate as an institution, and the senators as individual members of that institution, will always keep in mind that they will be setting precedents and making history as they proceed with the trial of President Estrada.