HOUSE prosecution spokesperson Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on Wednesday said Vice President Sara Z. Duterte appears to hold herself “above our laws,” citing her repeated public attacks on the impeachment proceedings despite being a lawyer and the respondent in the trial.
Alonto Adiong made the statement after the Senate impeachment court ordered stricter enforcement of Rule 18, or the sub judice rule, which expressly prohibits the impeached official, among others, from publicly commenting on the merits of the pending trial.
“I think she’s just being consistent about not respecting any legal processes, which, just to me, only manifests the kind of attitude that she has, that she holds herself above our laws,” Alonto Adiong said at a press briefing.
He said Duterte, being a lawyer, should already be familiar with the principle of sub judice even without the impeachment court’s latest ruling.
“So I think consistent lang ang ating Vice President that she, being a lawyer herself, she may very well know, I presume she is very well conscious about the sub judice rule,” Alonto Adiong said.
“Even without this trial of hers being conducted in the Senate, she is already familiar with the principle of sub judice rule. So having known that, being a lawyer, still she came out with the statements,” he added.
Alonto Adiong cited Duterte’s previous “bending the law” remarks, which he said appeared to refer to officials presiding over the impeachment proceedings, as well as her latest statement describing the prosecution’s presentation as “political theatrics” and accusing prosecutors of “fishing for evidence.”
He said such remarks not only touch on the merits of the case but also risk undermining the integrity of the impeachment court.
Alonto Adiong also traced what he described as Duterte’s pattern of questioning legal processes to the House proceedings that preceded her trial.
“If you go back to the time that we were conducting the hearing in the House of Representatives, she is questioning the jurisdiction of the House, even went up to the Supreme Court to question the jurisdiction, while she was also saying in her team that they will only answer this allegation at the proper forum,” he said.
“So ngayon na nandito na tayo sa proper forum, sinasabi naman niya drama,” he added.
The impeachment court on Wednesday ordered Rule 18 strictly enforced prospectively, covering the presiding officer, senator-judges, prosecutors, Duterte as the impeached official, their respective counsel and witnesses.
Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the restrictions seek to prevent trial by publicity and protect the independence, dignity and integrity of the court.
The court gave those covered a clean slate for previous statements but imposed a two-strike system for future violations.
A first offense carries a severe reprimand and stern admonition in open court, while a second and succeeding violation may result in a maximum P30,000 fine for each offense.
Alonto Adiong said the court’s directive for Duterte’s lawyers to remind her about future public statements itself indicated concern over the way she has been discussing the proceedings.
“The mere fact that the presiding officer was requested to also channel that advice to the defense indicates really that there is something not right when it comes to the kind of sayings or attitude of the way the Vice President describes this ongoing impeachment trial,” he said.
“So somebody really has to advise her to behave. ’Yun lang talaga,” Alonto Adiong added.
He said complying with the ruling would ultimately benefit Duterte by allowing her lawyers, rather than her public pronouncements, to address the charges in the proper forum.
“It will give her, for a change, it will give her something to her advantage if she just simply follow, after following this ruling of the court, to just simply remain silent about how the proceedings are being conducted in the Senate,” he said.
Alonto Adiong stressed that the prosecution respects the impeachment court’s ruling and would comply with the restrictions imposed under Rule 18.
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