THE House prosecution panel on Monday asked the Senate sitting as an Impeachment Court to examine Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s description of her impeachment proceedings as a “sarsuwela,” saying the remark clearly attacked the court’s integrity.
Private prosecutor Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. pointed out that Duterte’s statement followed earlier remarks questioning the independence of the senator-judges and claims by her spokesperson that the proceedings were being manipulated.
“Ito ang problema kapag hindi nako-call out iyong mga ganitong statements ng Vice President. Hindi lang first time na nangyari ito,” Tolosa said during the prosecution panel’s noontime press conference.
He recalled Duterte’s earlier assertion that the President controlled the senator-judges, then turned to her latest description of the trial.
“Ngayon naman, sasabihin niya, isa lang itong sarsuwela. Obviously, it’s an attack against the integrity of the court,” Tolosa said.
Tolosa said the effect extended beyond criticism of the prosecution.
Such statements, he said, could shape how supporters view a future ruling that does not favor Duterte by suggesting in advance that it was based on manipulation rather than process and evidence.
“These statements are not just inflammatory, but they attack the integrity of the court,” he said. “We cannot take this lightly.”
Impeachment team adviser and spokesperson former Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers said the court should study the statement because it was not the first remark directed against the proceedings.
“Dapat pag-aralan ito ng impeachment court, dahil hindi lang ito isang beses na nangyari kung saan may pang-iinsultong binitawang salita ang ating pangalawang pangulo against the impeachment court mismo,” Barbers said.
Barbers said Duterte was represented by lawyers in the proceedings even as she publicly criticized the court. He asked the senator-judges to decide what response, if any, was warranted under their own rules.
House Prosecutor Manila Rep. Joel Chua referred to the court’s earlier issuance of show-cause orders to two members of the prosecution,saying similar statements by he respondent should not simply be ignored.
“Kung maaalala po ninyo, nakaraang linggo, dalawa po sa miyembro ng prosecution ang naisyu-han ng show-cause order galing sa impeachment court,” Chua said.
Asked whether Duterte’s use of “sarsuwela” might have referred only to the prosecution, Chua said the timing and wording pointed to the impeachment court and its decision on the conviction threshold.
Tolosa said the panel was asking for consistency rather than a pre-determined sanction.
“Equal application of the rules,” he said. “Kahit sino na saklaw ng rules ng impeachment proceedings na ito, dapat i-apply natin iyan with equal force, equal strength. Kung magiging strikto tayo, dapat pare-pareho iyon sa lahat.”
metrosundaily
