HOUSE trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur on Saturday welcomed the defense’s decision to accept in principle the opening of the sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box but questioned why the position surfaced only after the conclusion of the pre-trial conference, where the defense had opposed even the marking of the sealed box.
Alonto Adiong said the latest defense filing represents a significant shift that advances the impeachment process, but also raises questions about whether valuable pre-trial time could have been saved had the position been disclosed earlier.
“If this was going to be the defense’s position all along, why wait until after the pre-trial conference to say so? If they were prepared to agree in principle to the opening of the BIR box, why oppose even the simple marking of the sealed box during the hearing?” Alonto Adiong said.
According to Alonto Adiong, the latest pleading confirms that the dispute has moved away from whether the BIR box should be opened and now centers only on how the process should be conducted.
“That is a welcome development because it moves the impeachment process forward. Every procedural issue that is resolved brings us one step closer to the presentation of evidence before the Senate impeachment court,” Alonto Adiong said.
Alonto Adiong, however, expressed concern over the defense’s proposal that the opening of the BIR box be conducted in a separate executive session before it is unsealed and pre-marked.
The defense likewise proposed safeguards regarding the handling and disclosure of the documents while reserving objections to their admissibility and evidentiary value.
“For us, the question is straightforward,” Alonto Adiong said. “Is another executive session necessary simply to unseal and pre-mark the box, or will it add another procedural step before the pre-trial order can be issued and the trial can formally begin? That is now for the Impeachment Court to determine.”
Alonto Adiong emphasized that its objective has remained consistent from the beginning: to ensure the orderly identification and presentation of documentary evidence without prejudging its admissibility.
“Opening and pre-marking documents do not automatically make them evidence. Those issues will still be decided by the Impeachment Court during the trial. Our concern has always been moving the process forward efficiently while fully respecting due process,” Alonto Adiong.
He said the latest development signals the end of unnecessary procedural disputes as the July 6 trial approaches.
“The Filipino people have waited long enough. We hope there will be no more unnecessary procedural detours. The sooner these preliminary issues are resolved, the sooner the Impeachment Court can focus on what truly matters—the evidence,” Alonto Adiong said.
The prosecution maintained that the impeachment proceedings should now transition from procedural debates to the orderly presentation of documents and witnesses, allowing the Senate impeachment court to resolve the case based on the evidence presented.
metrosundaily
