THE House prosecution panel expects Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to show up in her Senate impeachment trial that starts on Monday, as she and her defense had promised.
House trial spokesman Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur told GMA network’s Balitanghali program that the prosecution is banking on the vice president’s repeated declarations in the past and on a pledge made by her defense team.
“Yun po yung sinabi. I think kung di ako nagkakamali, nasabi po yan ng defense na kung kinakailangan ay pupunta ang ating Vice President,” he said.
He said for the prosecution, it is important that the vice president show up not only to personally answer the charges against her but out of respect for the constitutional process of impeachment.
“Sa atin, talagang kailangan mas maganda na pumunta siya kasi it will send a message sa ating taong bayan na unang-una ay hindi lang po niya hinaharap personally ang itong mga charges na ito,” he said.
“Pero ito po ay pagpapakita din po ng respeto sa proseso at sa korte bilang isang institution ng kapangyarihan ng ating Konstitusyon na maglitis sa mga kasong impeachable offense,” he added.
Alonto Adiong also cited the Vice President’s repeated statements that she was ready to answer the charges in the proper forum, which the Lanao del Sur lawmaker said is now the impeachment court that is reconvening on Monday.
“Yun ang sinasabi nila eh, na handa silang sagutin yung mga kaso sa proper forum. Ito na po yung proper forum na ito,” he said.
He said Vice President Sara Duterte even had a somewhat bloody description of what might happen if she attends her impeachment trial.
“In fact, it was described in even more…yung sinasabi po nila, pagsabi po nila, it was even described the way she would actually…na medyo madugo. Kasi sabi po nila, bloodbath,” he said.
He pointed out that these declarations came from the vice president herself and her defense and that they are expected to deliver on their promises.
“So, tinitingnan po natin yun kasi sa kanila po naman talaga nanggagaling ito. So we expect that they will act on the assurance to the public that they have made,” Alonto Adiong stressed.
metrosundaily
