THE House prosecution is determined to build an “airtight case” against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, saying it will continue to present evidence strong enough to meet whatever conviction threshold the Senate impeachment court ultimately applies.
At the same time, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag said the Quezon City court’s finding of probable cause against Duterte for grave threats strengthens the same charge being heard in her impeachment trial.
“Consistent kami from the very start na we never engaged in vote counting,” House prosecution spokesperson and counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, stressing that the prosecution remains focused on the evidence rather than the number of votes it may need to secure.
“Basta kami, ang focus namin diyan, again, as we’ve stated, is to establish an airtight case para kahit anong magiging interpretation niyan, we’ll meet it,” Tolosa added.
The prosecution has completed its presentation of Article IV of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment complaint centering on her public statements threatening the lives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
Matibag, who was among the guests in the forum, pointed out that the criminal complaint of grave threat against Duterte underwent the Department of Justice’s review before reaching the Regional Trial Court, which subsequently made its own finding of probable cause, or sufficient grounds to proceed with the case.
“The threshold now is the reasonable certainty of conviction,” Matibag said, referring to the DOJ’s standard in reviewing criminal complaints.
However, Matibag clarified that the separate criminal and impeachment proceedings involve different grounds, with the impeachment case concerning constitutional violations and betrayal of public trust.
“It’s based on the culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust,” he said.
He also stressed that the absence of a criminal conviction does not necessarily mean that the conduct involved could not constitute a violation that may be considered in an impeachment case.
“It doesn’t necessarily follow na kung walang conviction o hindi na-file yung kaso, hindi na mag-a-amount sa violation sa binibigay na basehan ng impeachment,” Matibag said.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 98 issued a warrant on September 4 for three counts of grave threats against Duterte in connection with her 2024 remarks involving the President, the First Lady and the former House Speaker.
Matibag said claims that the case was politically motivated should ultimately be tested against the evidence presented before the court.
“Let’s trust the system, the court, that they will rely on the strength of the evidence and the weakness and strength of the evidence to be presented by both parties,” he said.
metrosundaily
