THE House prosecution team on Wednesday rejected Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s accusation that it was “fishing for evidence,” saying testimony and documents already presented before the Senate impeachment court point to her alleged role in ordering and overseeing the misuse of confidential funds.
House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Ace Barbers and Deputy Speaker Jefferson Khonghun of Zambales said the evidence on record supports Article I of the impeachment complaint, with more witnesses and documents still to be presented.
“Sa aming paniniwala sa prosecution panel, ay nailatag namin ’yung mga nararapat na makitang ebidensya at marinig na ebidensya ng ating mga senator-judges,” Barbers said at a press briefing.
“And there are still several witnesses and documentary evidence that we will present as the trial moves forward,” he added.
Khonghun said testimony heard by the impeachment court has pointed to Duterte’s alleged involvement in the disbursement of confidential funds.
“Malinaw sa inilatag ng prosecution, kasama ng mga witnesses, na talagang itinuturo ng ebidensya na ang mayroong kinalaman, lalo-lalo na sa pag-utos, sa pagsasagawa, at talagang ang puno’t dulo ng pagdi-disburse ng confidential fund ay ang Vice President,” Khonghun said.
“So nakikita ’yon, at talagang maliwanag naman sa sinasabi ng mga witnesses,” he added.
Their remarks came after Duterte accused prosecutors of “fishing for evidence during the trial” and trying to turn what they wanted to be true into “a wild story of alleged wrongdoing.”
Duterte also said insults and “political theatrics” do not constitute evidence and instead “reveal the need to feign confidence in the face of a weak presentation.”
Barbers disputed Duterte’s characterization, saying documentary evidence already submitted supports the confidential fund charge.
“Pero sa ngayon, sinasabi natin, ang nakita na ebidensya, mga documentary evidence na ipinresenta ng prosecution panel, siguro sa paniniwala ng marami, lalo na sa paniniwala ng prosecution panel, ito ay matibay na mga ebidensya na aming inilalatag,” he said.
“In other words, ’yung aming inilatag na mga ebidensya supports the allegation in this article,” he added.
Among the witnesses presented under Article I was former Office of the Vice President special disbursing officer Gina Acosta, who testified that she turned over four P125-million tranches totaling P500 million in confidential funds to then-security chief Col. Raymund Dante Lachica upon Duterte’s instruction.
Acosta acknowledged that Lachica was not fidelity-bonded and that she remained the accountable officer for the money despite handing the cash to him.
OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, another hostile witness, testified that Lachica was not an organic OVP employee.
Ortonio also told the court that, to his understanding, Duterte and Lachica knew how the confidential funds were implemented.
Barbers said the prosecution has yet to complete its presentation under Article I.
“So meron pang mga witnesses na naka-line up at mga ebidensyang maaaring ipakita at iparinig sa ating mga senator-judges sa darating na mga araw,” he said.
Barbers separately questioned whether Duterte’s “fishing for evidence” remark itself amounted to a public discussion of the merits after Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero ordered strict enforcement of Rule 18.
“That statement of, say, ‘fishing for evidence,’ isn’t that already a discussion of the merits? Or perhaps a question being raised against the integrity of the impeachment court?” Barbers said.
“So ano ba ’yan? Saklaw ba ’yan ng sinasabing Rule 18?” he added.
Rule 18 covers the person impeached, along with the presiding officer, senator-judges, prosecutors, their respective counsel and witnesses.
Barbers said the prosecution would defer to the impeachment court on whether Duterte’s remarks fall within the prohibition.
“Kaya gusto natin na magkaroon ng clarification ang ating impeachment court tungkol diyan,” he said.
“Of course, whatever decisions that the court may arrive at, kami naman ay susunod at magko-comply dito.”
metrosundaily
