DEPUTY Speaker Janette L. Garin on Sunday declared the full and unwavering support of the House of Representatives for the House prosecution panel as it begins presenting the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte before the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court.
Garin said the prosecutors do not stand before the Senate merely as individual lawyers or lawmakers, but as the constitutional representatives of the House of Representatives, carrying with them the collective mandate of the institution and the voices of congressional districts across the country.
“Ang prosecution panel ay hindi kumakatawan sa kanilang mga sarili. Kinakatawan nila ang buong House of Representatives at ang mandato ng mga kinatawang inihalal ng sambayanang Pilipino mula sa bawat distrito at party-list sa buong bansa,” she said.
She noted that after extensive committee proceedings, plenary deliberations, and the constitutionally required vote of the House, the prosecution now carries the institutional responsibility of presenting the case faithfully before the Impeachment Court.
“Bawat prosecutor ay dala ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob sa kanila ng buong Kamara. Ang kanilang boses ay boses ng institusyong inatasan ng Konstitusyon na magsakdal kung may sapat na batayan,” Garin said.
Garin emphasized that while individual Filipinos may hold different opinions on the case, the prosecution represents the constitutional decision of the House acting as the people’s elected chamber.
“The House of Representatives is composed of lawmakers elected by millions of Filipinos from every province, city, municipality, and sector. When the House approved the Articles of Impeachment, it exercised a constitutional power entrusted to it by the people. The prosecution panel now carries that institutional mandate before the Senate,” she said. “Sa kanilang pagharap sa Impeachment Court, dala nila ang pasya ng People’s House—ang kapulungang binubuo ng mga kinatawan ng sambayanan mula Batanes hanggang Tawi-Tawi.”
The Iloilo House leader assured the prosecution panel that the entire House leadership and membership stand firmly behind them throughout the proceedings.
“Mula sa unang araw ng paglilitis hanggang sa araw ng pinal na hatol, hindi nag-iisa ang ating prosecution panel. Nasa likod nila ang buong House of Representatives,” she said.
She stressed that the House’s support for its prosecutors is fully consistent with its respect for the Senate’s constitutional role as the sole impeachment court.
“Our support for the prosecution does not diminish our respect for the Senate. The House has fulfilled its constitutional duty to impeach. The Senate now performs its equally important constitutional duty to try and decide the case. Both institutions deserve the confidence of the Filipino people,” she said.
“May malinaw na paghahati ng tungkulin ang ating Konstitusyon. Ang House ang nagsasakdal. Ang Senado ang lumilitis. Parehong tungkuling dapat isagawa nang may integridad at paggalang sa batas,” Garin said.
Garin said the House will continue extending every institutional support necessary to enable the prosecution panel to discharge its mandate with competence, professionalism, and fidelity to the Constitution.
“We stand behind our prosecutors because they stand for the institutional action of the House. We have full confidence that they will present the case with integrity, professionalism, and respect for due process,” she said.
She concluded by saying the impeachment trial is ultimately about preserving the strength of democratic institutions.
“Hindi ito tungkol sa iisang tao lamang. Ito ay tungkol sa paninindigan ng ating mga institusyon na walang sinuman ang higit sa Konstitusyon at ang pananagutan ay dapat laging nakabatay sa batas at ebidensya,” Garin said.
