House prosecution team in Sara Duterte impeachment trial 80% ready
HOT SEAT READY. Preparations are ongoing at the Senate for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. The photo shows the enclosure where she may be asked to sit during the proceedings at the Senate plenary hall. —Photo by Richard A. Reyes | Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives’ prosecution panel is 80 percent ready for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
This is the view that the team member and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor expressed on Wednesday during a virtual press briefing.
Defensor confirmed that he and the other members of the prosecution panel have conducted mock trials to simulate what an impeachment proceeding feels like.
This was also meant to prepare the House prosecutors’ responses in case members of the defense team would question their evidence and witnesses.
“At least on my side, we are 80 percent ready. We are just preparing and anticipating what the possible defenses would be [presented] by the defense counsel,” Defensor told reporters covering the House.
“And we’ll have time to meet this week with the other articles [to see] how far they have gone,” he noted.
“We are preparing our testimonial and documentary evidence. And we have conducted a run-through of what an impeachment court would feel like [while] anticipating possible objections from the defense team,” the lawmaker said.
“So right now, we are not only preparing the evidence for the prosecution, but we are also anticipating what the other camp may present to block it,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.
Defensor admitted it was not easy to prepare for the impeachment trial while managing an election campaign.
They are making the preparations shortly after the beginning of the campaign period for the local polls last March 28.
“It takes time away from our preparation because, not only do we have to campaign for ourselves, but as congressmen, we have local candidates in our district,” he said.
“For myself, I have nine mayors. I want to ensure and help that all the nine mayors in my lineup win. It takes away time from the preparation, but it’s a good challenge also,” he went on.
“It’s not an easy balance between an election and preparation, but we are doing our best since this impeachment involves national interest. It involves the… second-highest official of the country. So we will prepare very well,” he added.
On February 5, the House impeached Duterte after 215 lawmakers filed and verified a fourth impeachment complaint.
The complaint was hinged on several issues, among them the alleged misuse of confidential funds lodged within her offices; threats to ranking officials, including President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; and conduct unbecoming of a vice president.
The Articles of Impeachment were immediately transmitted to the Senate.
The Constitution requires a trial to start “forthwith” if at least one-third of all House members — in this case, 102 out of 306 — have signed and endorsed the petition.
Under the Constitution, the Senate will act as an impeachment court, with senators sitting as judges.
READ: House impeaches VP Sara Duterte, fast-tracking transmittal to Senate
However, the trial has yet to start as the Articles of Impeachment were not forwarded to the Senate plenary before the session ended on February 5.
This means that Congress would have to reconvene first after the election season, or through a special session, to discuss the matter.
Defensor previously said that they hoped the impeachment trial would start immediately, as the Constitution states.
But he also said that they would respect the Senate’s decision regarding the timeline of the proceedings.
READ: Lawmakers hope VP Sara Duterte impeachment trial will start soon
With the long wait for the trial, the prosecutors conceded that they would just use the available time to prepare and educate the public as to why Duterte was impeached.
READ: House to educate public on VP Duterte impeachment amid trial delay
But on March 25, lead prosecutor and House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan filed, on behalf of the prosecution team, a motion before the Senate.
The motion asked the chamber to compel Duterte to answer the impeachment complaint.
Libanan said the prosecutors signed the motion to issue summons against Duterte as early as March 14, but they refrained from submitting it to the Senate because Congress is in recess.
However, they submitted the motion after a Senate committee conducted a hearing to discuss the arrest of Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
This hearing gave the House prosecutors the impression that the Senate was working despite the congressional break.
