FILIPINOS will be angry if the Senate leadership dispute continues to delay the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, members of the House prosecution panel warned as they called for the proceedings to move forward without further obstruction.
Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, said the public has waited long enough for answers to allegations involving threats, confidential funds, bribery and unexplained wealth, some of which have already been raised since the 19th Congress.
“Magagalit ang mga tao. ‘Yun ang klaro,” Luistro, lead prosecutor in the VP Duterte impeachment, said during Monday’s press conference.
Luistro pointed to public sentiment supporting the continuation of the impeachment trial, saying the case cannot remain unresolved while the Senate remains occupied with internal leadership questions.
“Because the survey already shows the supermajority of the Filipino people who are waiting for this trial. From my last recollection, 74 percent ng mga Pilipino ang gustong-gustong matuloy na itong impeachment trial na ito,” Luistro stressed.
Luistro said the articles of impeachment now before the Senate deal with issues that have long demanded answers from Duterte and must finally be tested in a constitutional forum.
“And remember, the allegations in the present Articles of Impeachment are the same allegations in the Articles of Impeachment back in the 19th Congress. Ibig sabihin, we are dealing with the same questions on threat, confidential funds, bribery and unexplained wealth which means simula ng 19th Congress hanggang sa oras na ito wala pa pong naririnig na kasagutan ang sambayanang Pilipino,” Luistro explained.
“So to your question kung anong magiging consequence, kung anong magiging reaction ng mga tao, certainly from my end, magagalit ang mga Pilipino if we keep on delaying this impeachment trial,” Luistro added.
Kabataan Rep. Renee Co said each day of delay becomes another day when accountability is pushed aside and the public is denied answers on public funds and public leadership.
“Siguro ang dagdag ko na lang rin, ang mensahe kung magkakaroon ng tuloy-tuloy na delay ay isang araw na naman na hindi nauuna ang pananagutan. Isang araw na naman na hindi napapa-prioritize ‘yung tanong at saan po ba napunta yung pera ng taumbayan,” Co, prosecution spokesperson, said.
“Asan po ‘yung mga sagot, para masabi natin na yung pamumuno ay naaayon hindi lamang sa Constitution pero sa anong pangangailangan ng mamamayan. Kaya nga po as the days go by, nakita nating tumataas yung mga humihiling na magsimula na ang paglilitis,” Co added.
Co said further delays will only deepen the feeling among Filipinos that their demand for accountability is not being placed first.
“Dahil the longer this goes on, the longer these issues are unresolved, mas nararamdaman ng mamamayang Pilipino na hindi inuuna ‘yung mga panawagan nila. Kaya po para unahin natin yung priority of the Filipino people, kailangang magtuloy-tuloy yung paglilitis,” Co stressed.
Diokno, a member of the prosecution panel, said the Filipino people have waited long enough to see the evidence and hear the truth in the impeachment case.
“Matagal nang hinihintay ng sambayanang Pilipino ang ebidensya at malaman ang katotohanan dito sa impeachment case na ito. At dapat wala nang maging sagabal sa trial sa Senado,” Diokno said.
