HOUSE trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Friday said Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s defense team must answer the impeachment articles through specific evidence and counterarguments, not through press conferences.
Alonto Adiong said the prosecution expects legal motions and other procedural moves at the start of the trial because the defense has yet to sufficiently respond to the allegations with specific rebuttals.
“Kaya nga sinasabi namin, okay. ‘Yung sa press conference nila, sabi nila, we are ready, we are ready to face the charges, we are ready to answer the question,” Alonto Adiong said during an interview with The Spokes over Bilyonaryo News Channel.
The Vice President’s camp has repeatedly questioned the impeachment proceedings and has sought dismissal, while the House prosecution has maintained that the issues should be resolved through trial.
“Answering the question does not only take one to hold press conference. Answering the allegation is to provide specific counter argument to rebut this allegation,” Alonto Adiong said.
Alonto Adiong said the prosecution wants the defense to identify the purpose of the witnesses it seeks to adopt as common witnesses so the trial can proceed in an orderly and meaningful manner.
“That’s what we’re expecting,” he said.
The pre-trial process allowed both panels to identify issues, evidence and witnesses ahead of the July 6 opening of the Senate impeachment trial.
“But in the pre-trial brief, wala ho talaga silang, in fact, at ‘yung mga witnesses, kaya nga po request namin sa impeachment court is, pwede ho bang i-direct sila, ang defense, to specify the purpose by which the witnesses, na witnesses namin, they will also adopt this as common witness,” Alonto Adiong explained.
He said Duterte lost an earlier opportunity to persuade even neutral House members by choosing not to engage the process in a way that allowed members to weigh her side against the evidence.
“She did not provide reason, even for those members in the House who have not seen the evidence, who have not attended the confirmation hearings, who actually have, let’s say, for the sake of argument, have a neutral and independent way of approaching the issue,” Alonto Adiong said.
Alonto Adiong said the failure to answer within the formal process helped explain why many lawmakers, including those previously perceived as friendly to the Vice President, still voted to approve the impeachment.
“She did not provide them the reason to at least hear her side and then maybe balance the arguments and the counter-evidence,” he noted.
He said public statements outside the regular process could not replace a formal defense before the proper forum.
“Rather than respond to the committee, nagprepresscon. Sayang opportunity yan,” Alonto Adiong said.
Alonto Adiong said an accused official who believes in her own innocence should welcome the chance to present evidence in the proceedings.
“Kung talagang inusente ka, mas madali sa iyo at mas i-welcome mo yung ganitong opportunity,” Alonto Adiong said.
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