THE House prosecution on Monday said Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s possible appearance at the Senate impeachment trial would not rattle its legal team, maintaining that the proceedings will move forward as planned regardless of whether she is present.
The remarks came as Duterte’s possible attendance at the impeachment trial drew attention following hints from her camp that she could personally appear.
House prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong rejected the notion that Duterte’s attendance would unsettle the prosecutors.
“Nobody gets intimidated,” Adiong said.
“Ang pinag-uusapan dito ’yung proseso ng trial, ’yung pananagutan ng trial. Ang pinag-uusapan po rito ay paano ilatag ang proseso, paano ilatag ang kaso, paano sagutin ang kaso.”
House prosecution spokesperson and adviser former Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the panel will proceed with its presentation of witnesses and evidence regardless of who is in the Senate impeachment court.
“Well sa tingin ko, hindi naman makakaapekto ’yun. Dahil as we always say and always state that the prosecution team is prepared to do their direct examination sa witnesses at mga ebidensyang inilatag natin,” Barbers said.
“So kahit sinong umattend, wala naman pong epekto ’yan sa pag-conduct ng direct examination doon sa ating witnesses.”
Barbers added that Duterte’s attendance would ultimately benefit the public by allowing Filipinos to hear her response to the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment.
“Sa aking palagay, mas makakabuti na umattend ang ating pangalawang pangulo nang sa gayon, marinig natin kung ano ang sagot doon sa mga alegasyon na inilatag dito sa Articles of Impeachment na inihain ng ating House of Representatives,” he said.
Legal spokesperson and House prosecution counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. likewise said the panel’s trial plan would remain intact whether Duterte appears or not.
“Again, regardless of who will be there, respondent or anyone else, the strategy of the prosecution remains the same, that we’ll present evidence in a proper and efficient and effective manner,” Tolosa said.
He added that Duterte’s personal attendance would be an opportunity to demonstrate respect for the constitutional impeachment process while addressing the accusations against her before the public.
“At the very least, this will show that she’s finally heeding the call of the people, asking her to show respect to the constitutional process and to the impeachment court by facing these charges in person, and letting the people hear how she will answer these serious allegations,” Tolosa said.
For Alonto Adiong, the issue is not whether Duterte’s presence would influence the prosecution but whether she would personally answer the accusations leveled against her.
“It’s not so much on the presentation of the case of the prosecution. It’s her owning to her narrative that she is not guilty of all these charges,” he said.
“And the people deserve to know from her the truth, at the very least denying all these allegations,” Alonto Adiong added.
He said the impeachment trial provides Duterte with the proper venue to directly address the charges.
“Ito ’yung matagal nang panawagan ng taumbayan na pumunta siya kasi this is her trial at marinig sa kanya kung ano ’yung mga kasagutan nila dito sa kaso na pinipresenta against her ng prosecution,” Alonto Adiong said.
He also expressed hope that Duterte would eventually appear before the impeachment court, noting that she has repeatedly said she is prepared to answer the allegations.
“Siya naman po ’yung nagsasalita from the very start na ready na po sila sumagot ng kaso. So we take that as a sign that she will take this her case, her trial seriously by attending in the coming days sana,” he said.
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