Prosecution sets sights on pre‑trial in VP Duterte impeachment

THE House prosecution panel said Monday it is now preparing for the next stages of the impeachment proceedings after submitting its manifestation before the Senate impeachment court, stressing that the 11-member team remains ready to proceed to pre-trial and trial despite internal disputes in the upper chamber remain unresolved.

Lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, House trial spokesperson and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, and prosecutor Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said the filing marks the end of the panel’s response to Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s answer to the articles of impeachment, and the beginning of preparations for pre-trial proceedings.

“Sa kabila po ng mga komosyon, iregularidad na nagaganap doon sa Senado ng Republika ng Pilipinas, ang labing-isang prosecutors po ay hindi natitinag at handa humarap sa papalapit na impeachment trial,” Luistro said at a press conference.

She added that the prosecution panel is now working within the publicized timeline, as announced by the former leadership of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, anticipating the pre-trial conference and initial trial dates in June and July.

“We anticipate na June 18, ang 11 prosecutors po ay a-appear sa impeachment court for the first day of pre-trial conference, at July 6 para sa unang schedule ng trial,” she said.

Preparations are already in full swing, Luistro said, with the pre-trial brief already completed and ready for submission by June 15, as required by the previous timeline. The pre-trial brief contains the stipulation of facts, list of witnesses, pieces of evidence, and testimonies to be used during the trial.

“June 15 is the deadline for the filing of pre-trial brief,” she said. “After that, we will appear before the impeachment court for the pre-trial conference on June 18.”

However, the lead prosecutor explained that no formal notices have been issued yet by the Senate impeachment court despite the looming pre-trial conference schedule. This has been uncertain primarily because of the continued conflict between the blocs of Acting Senate President Shewrin Gatchalian and Cayetano.

Whether or not the Senate impeachment court changes the tentative schedule, Luistro said the prosecution remains aligned and prepared according to the publicly released timeline.

“Nonetheless, our preparation is aligned to the timeline that was publicized by the Senate,” Luistro said.

House trial spokesperson Co also explained that the next phase of the process is critical in allowing both sides to finally lay down their positions before the impeachment court.

She said the proceedings will give the public a clearer view of the evidence and the defense, which she said is necessary to achieve closure on long-standing allegations against the vice president.

“Simple lang naman ang panawagan natin: to move forward, we need closure,” Co said. “At para magkaclosure, kailangan ng sagot.”

“Hindi po normal at hindi po dapat gawing normal na walang sagot. So hinihintay natin ang paglilitis para makita na natin with finality ano po yung mga depensa at syempre paano po tayo magmomove forward sa proseso ng pananagutan,” she added.

House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil submitted Monday morning the prosecution’s five-page manifestation to the Senate, which was received by Senate Secretary General Renato Bantug Jr. at 11:15 a.m.

The prosecution opted not to file a formal reply to Duterte’s answer to the articles of impeachment, arguing that the vice president merely issued general denials and refused to provide any semblance of explanation refuting the allegations against her.

Diokno said the 11-member prosecution team did not see it necessary to respond point-by-point to Duterte’s answer because it failed to raise new factual matters and only sought the dismissal of the impeachment case by putting forward once again procedural, constitutional and jurisdictional issues.

“Kung titignan kasi natin ‘yung naging sagot ni vice president ay mukhang ang gusto niya ay ipadismiss agad ang kaso. Hindi pupwede ‘yun dahil syempre kailangan mauna ang paglilitis o ‘yung trial ng kaso bago magkaroon ng paghahatol o pagpapasya ng ating Senado bilang impeachment court,” he stressed.

He emphasized that the proper venue for evaluating the allegations is the impeachment trial itself, where evidence can be formally presented and examined.

“Ang kailangan ngayon, litisin na agad ang kasong ito,” Diokno said. “Kami naman sa hanay ng prosecution ay handang-handa na mag-presenta ng ebidensya.”

Luistro said the prosecution is optimistic that the Senate impeachment court will receive an official notice within the week after Gatchalian announced that he would follow the original timeline released by the Senate.