Courtesy: Alonto Adiong FB page
THE House prosecution on Friday welcomed the progress of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, saying the constitutional accountability mechanism is now fully underway after the first day of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial conference.
“We have finally come to a point na assured na tayo that the ball is rolling, ika nga. Tuloy-tuloy,” House impeachment trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said in an interview with Memo on Bilyonaryo News Channel.
“We are very happy that now, ‘yung tinatawag po nating accountability mechanism ng ating Constitution ay gumugulong na,” Alonto Adiong said.
The House spokesperson said the disagreements and objections raised during Thursday’s proceedings were expected and should not be viewed as unusual.
“I would not even call it tension kasi that’s expected, that’s expected and it’s a usual occurrence naman talaga in a pre-trial conference,” Alonto Adiong said.
“Overall, maganda. We are very happy,” he added, noting that the prosecution is looking forward to the continuation of the proceedings on Monday, June 22.
Alonto Adiong, however, expressed disappointment that much of the defense’s pre-trial brief focused on procedural objections rather than addressing the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment.
According to him, many of the issues raised by the defense involve questions about the impeachment process that have already been overtaken by events following the Senate’s assumption of jurisdiction over the case.
“We are way, way past that stage. Even the Senate, by way of assuming jurisdiction over the Articles of Impeachment, they have already convened as an impeachment court. It only proves to say that that’s already something that is already done, that is already settled,” he pointed out.
Alonto Adiong said the public had expected the proceedings to begin shedding light on the allegations against Duterte, particularly those involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery of Department of Education personnel, and threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
“We were expecting, ang taong bayan, inaasahan ‘yung kasagutan. Ultimately, the people really deserve to know,” Alonto Adiong said.
Instead, Alonto Adiong said the defense largely repeated its longstanding position that the impeachment process was flawed.
“Unfortunately, wala. Mostly, ‘yung kanilang pre-trial brief is again going back to their old narrative na everything is sham because the process by which it was initiated is already questionable,” he said.
The lawmaker also pointed to previous statements from Duterte’s camp that they were prepared to answer the allegations before the proper forum.
“Which by the way, is a direct opposite of what they have been saying to the public na ‘ready na kami. We are waiting for the right opportunity, the right forum. We are ready to answer this at the proper forum.’ So, sorry pero frustrated ang taong bayan,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
