THE House prosecution panel represents the Filipino people, not any personal or partisan interest, in the impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte and has a duty to keep the public informed on preparations for the constitutional proceedings.
Lead prosecutor Atty. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro of Batangas made the statement after the prosecution panel filed its pre-trial brief before the Senate impeachment court, as the case moved closer to the June 18 pre-trial conference and the July 6 opening of trial.
“Please understand that the House of Representatives in this impeachment trial is representing the sovereign Filipino people. Impeachment is a mechanism that was given to the Filipino people to go against the erring public official,” Luistro stressed.
“In other words, the interest that is being represented by us in this trial is not our personal interest but the interest of the Filipino people. Suffice it to say that we need to share to the people whom we represent what is going on as far as the preparation for the trial is concerned,” she added.
The House prosecution panel has been giving regular updates on its preparation for the trial, including the filing of the pretrial brief, witness list, documentary evidence and procedural concerns it intends to raise before the impeachment court.
Luistro explained that the public’s stake in the impeachment process requires prosecutors to keep the country informed without violating the limits of the proceedings.
“This is the people’s right to information. That is why we are prompted to update from time to time what is happening with regards to the preparation of the prosecutors,” Luistro pointed out.
“The people are our client here and they need to know the things that the public prosecutors are doing in relation to this trial,” she added.
House prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong also urged Filipinos to follow the proceedings because the trial will test the country’s constitutional accountability mechanism.
“Hinihikayat po namin ang ating taong bayan na makilahok, makinig at mag-update po patungkol dito sa impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte,” Alonto Adiong noted.
“Tulad po ng sinabi ng ating lead counsel si Congresswoman Jinky Luistro, ang kliyente po ng House Prosecution Team ay ang taong bayan,” he added.
The impeachment trial is the first against a sitting vice president and is expected to deal with allegations involving public funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and threats against high officials.
Alonto Adiong said the public should be given every reasonable opportunity to understand the case because the proceedings involve the integrity of the Constitution and the accountability of a high public official.
“Again, we are requesting the public to join our call for the proceeding of an immediate open trial of the Impeachment Court,” Alonto Adiong said.
Luistro said the House wants Filipinos across the country to be part of the process because the case is being prosecuted on behalf of the people.
“We want all the Filipino people to be involved in this impeachment trial because after all, it is their interest that we represent,” Luistro emphasized.
“Samahan niyo po kami. This impeachment trial is an accountability mechanism that is innate in democracy,” she added.
The Batangas House leader closed by stressing that the impeachment process is not merely a fight between political camps, but an exercise of the people’s sovereign power through the Constitution.
“Let us uphold the supremacy of the sovereign Filipino people para po ito sa lahat ng Pilipino at sa mga darating pang-henerasyon,” Luistro said.
