Senate Presiding Officer Uses Squishy Toy Amid Impeachment Trial

During the Senate impeachment trial, presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero was repeatedly seen handling a bright yellow, cheese‑shaped squishy toy. The soft, squeezable toy, popular on social media for stress relief, appeared in the courtroom as Escudero delivered rulings and questioned a prosecution slide that briefly flashed on the screen. He asked the clerk to verify the source and authority of the slide. The incident, occurring on Escudero’s birthday, drew attention to the pressures of overseeing a high‑profile trial and the use of unconventional tools to manage stress. While the squishy itself has no legal bearing, the episode highlights the human side of judicial proceedings and the growing trend of sensory aids in high‑pressure environments.