HOUSE prosecutor Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro on Wednesday said the Senate must proceed with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing that the process is a constitutional duty that should not be swayed by public opinion.
“Well, I have said this earlier, regardless of the result of the survey, we have a constitutional duty that we really have to face. There is nothing which is more supreme than the Philippine Constitution. Sapagkat ito ang mandato ng taongbayan,” Luistro told reporters in an ambush interview.
“So regardless of the results of the survey, mataas man ang porsyento ng sumusuporta sa impeachment or mababa man ang porsyento ng sumusuporta sa impeachment, this is mandatory for us to conduct a trial,” she added.
Luistro issued the statement after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that 59 percent of Filipino respondents were aware of the impeachment complaint against Duterte.
Of those surveyed, 42 percent disagreed with the complaint, 32 percent agreed, and 18 percent were undecided. The remaining 7 percent said they did not have enough knowledge to form an opinion.
The same June 25 to 29 survey also found that 44 percent of respondents believe the Senate, as an impeachment court, is deliberately delaying the trial. Twenty-five percent did not believe this was the case, 22 percent were undecided, and 9 percent said they lacked sufficient knowledge to answer.
Duterte has dismissed the impeachment complaint as political persecution and harassment. She also said her legal team is preparing solid arguments to seek the dismissal of the case.
Luistro disagreed with Duterte’s assertion, saying the process must be judged by the strength of evidence, not political rhetoric.
“Kung walang ebidensya, that is political prosecution. Pero kung may ebidensya, that is a legitimate prosecution. As far as we are concerned, we have ample and strong evidence supporting the seven Articles of Impeachment,” she said.
Luistro also addressed concerns about public pronouncements from senator-judges and whether these could sway sentiment ahead of the trial.
“Somehow, yes, but we have to understand also hindi lang mga senator judges ang nagsasalita. A lot of deans of colleges of law have spoken. A lot of legal experts have spoken. And even the chairperson of the 1987 Constitutional Commission has spoken. We need to proceed to trial right away because that is the mandate of our Constitution,” she said.
Luistro noted that the perception that the complaint has no basis is influenced by the Duterte family’s enduring political support.
“We have to consider also na the Duterte family still has significant number of supporters and that is why there is a need really for us to proceed to the presentation of evidence so that the people will have an ample opportunity to assess really if we have a basis to proceed to this prayed for. That is of course, the removal and the perpetual disqualification,” she said.
Asked if she was concerned about public sentiment shifting further due to political statements, Luistro said the prosecution is simply doing its duty under the law.
“That is one of the possibilities, but we have to consider really kung ano ba talaga ang iminamandato sa atin ng Constitution. The people are entitled to see the evidence of the prosecution,” Luistro said.
“At the end of the day, sabi ko naman, after we are done with the presentation of the evidence, they can either vote to convict or to acquit. So I believe there’s nothing to lose if they will allow the prosecution to proceed with the presentation of evidence,” she added.
Other members of the House expressed similar views, saying the Senate must allow the trial to proceed so the public can judge for themselves.
Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun said the high number of undecided respondents shows that many Filipinos are waiting to see the actual evidence.
“Marami pa ring undecided. Talagang inaantay pa rin, gusto nilang mapanood ‘yung magkaroon ng impeachment trial. So hindi natin pwedeng panghawakan ang survey na ’yan kasi napakadami pa rin talagang undecided na gustong mapanood at gustong makita kung ano talaga ang nilalaman na ebidensya na ipipresenta ng prosecution,” Khonghun said.
For his part, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong questioned the urgency to dismiss the complaint despite survey claims favoring Duterte.
“If they are so confident about the survey, then why are they still pushing for the dismissal of the impeachment case? Eh sabi nga nila that the people’s leaning is towards to their advantage. Why are they afraid to have the impeachment trial to proceed? Eh kung kampante naman sila doon sa survey nila, ba’t nila idi-dismiss?” Adiong said.
“So I guess that’s the kind of conflicting altogether, living in the survey and yet pushing for the dismissal of the case,” he added.
Luistro is among the members of the House prosecution panel preparing to present their case before the Senate once it convenes as an impeachment court.
