ELECTORAL popularity cannot exempt Vice President Sara Z. Duterte—or any other public official—from accountability under the Constitution, House impeachment team adviser and spokesperson Robert “Ace” Barbers said Friday.
Barbers made the statement when asked about an OCTA Research survey showing Duterte ahead of Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, 43 percent to 34 percent, in a hypothetical head-to-head presidential contest in 2028.
He said the early preference survey does not measure guilt, constitutional accountability, or the weight of the evidence in Duterte’s impeachment trial and should therefore have no influence on the senator-judges’ evaluation of the case.
“Hindi naman basehan itong popularity contest para dito sa usapin ng impeachment trial,” Barbers said during the House prosecution’s online briefing where he appeared together with prosecution counsel, Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr., and spokesperson Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Louise Co.
Duterte is facing impeachment trial for alleged confidential-fund misuse, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats, although she has denied wrongdoing.
Barbers said an official’s possible performance in a future presidential contest could not replace the constitutional inquiry for accountability and fitness to remain in office.
“Regardless whether nakakuha ka ng 100 million votes or one million votes, it does not exempt you from accountability or pananagutan kung ikaw ay may pagkakasala,” Barbers said.
He clarified that the Senate trial was not meant to impose imprisonment. Impeachment examines whether an official should be removed and, if the Senate separately imposes it following conviction, disqualified from holding public office in the future.
The senator-judges must decide based on the evidence presented during the trial and not on partisan affiliation, political calculations or perceptions about Duterte’s electoral strength, Barbers said.
“Kailangan nakatutok tayo dito sa ebidensya,” he stressed.
Acknowledging that impeachment is partly political in character and can divide or polarize the country, Barbers stressed that it makes an evidence-based and impartial proceeding even more important.
“Hindi ibig sabihin na ikaw ay popular ay exempted ka o mayroong lisensya sa mga hindi karapat-dapat o mga paglabag sa batas,” Barbers said.
Co said public accountability remained the prosecution’s objective in the entire impeachment proceeding.
“We’re after accountability, we’re after the truth,” Co said.
She said the proceedings were designed to determine whether the alleged acts were committed and, if proven, whether they demonstrated that Duterte is no longer fit to exercise the powers and responsibilities of the vice presidency.
For his part, Tolosa said surveys could show current public sentiment, but the public would be better positioned to form a judgment after both parties had completed their presentations.
“Ang kasikatan at popularidad ay hindi dapat maging lisensya para matakasan ang accountability,” Tolosa said.
He said the prosecution trusted that the strength of its case would ultimately depend on authenticated records, credible testimony and the logical relationship among the evidence—not on the political standing of either side.
“Malakas ang tiwala namin sa aming ebidensya,” Tolosa said.
Barbers said the country would benefit if the trial demonstrated that constitutional accountability applied equally to all officials, regardless of office, political alliance, or popularity.
metrosundaily
