THE prosecution is considering filing a complaint with the Senate impeachment court against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte for her alleged repeated violations of the sub judice rule.
Prosecution spokesman Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur said the possibility was first announced by another spokesman, Jay Tolosa, who also serves as a counsel for the panel of House prosecutors.
“In think that was the response of Atty. Jay Tolosa,” Alonto Adiong said when asked if prosecutors would file a sub judice violation case against the Vice President.
“That should we also apply universally the sub judice rule, then the prosecution is contemplating on filing charges of violation against the defense client, the respondent Vice President Sara Duterte,” he said.
Alonto Adiong said one aspect of the rule prohibits public discussion of the merits of the impeachment case.
“Kasi, the sub judice rule is not only discussing the merits of the case publicly to avoid influencing, for the defense, preemptively discussing something that has not been discussed in the court and therefore indirectly inflating senator-judges, that’s one,” he added.
He pointed out that another aspect is attacking the proceedings and even the impeachment court.
“But when you are also trying to attack and insult the integrity of the court, that is also one character of sub judice application that one must also avoid. Kasi that is not only influencing senator-judges, that is bringing down the integrity of the court and therefore questioning the sanctity of the constitutional process,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
He said it is in compliance with the mandate of the Constitution that the Senate impeachment court is conducting a trial with the involvement of all necessary participants.
“Kaya nga tayo nandito dahil ang Saligang Batas ang nag-utos sa atin. So dapat seryosohin natin ito, so dapat lang lahat ng miyembro dito or active dito na mga individual sa korte na ito especially sa nililitis ay dapat tratuhin niya ang korte bilang sagrado by way of respecting individual senator-judges,” he said.
The Vice President has repeatedly issued statements in the past attacking her trial and the impeachment court.
She once said there was no need to bend the law as her trial was itself an example of bending the law.
metrosundaily
