THE House prosecution panel expects the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to proceed to a full presentation of evidence, saying its focus remains on proving the Articles of Impeachment before the impeachment court and helping the public understand the case.
Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, made the statement during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City as the Senate prepares to hear the impeachment case transmitted by the House of Representatives.
“Yun ang ina-anticipate natin because we are saying that the House-level panel, prosecution team is ready, more than ready, 150% ready to face the impeachment court and present evidence,” Alonto Adiong, a House Assistant Majority Leader, stressed.
The House voted overwhelmingly to impeach Duterte and send the case to the Senate, where senator-judges are expected to hear allegations involving confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and threats.
“That is the premise where we’re coming from. As to the eventualities that might happen within the Senate, that is for us something that we cannot bank our position on,” Alonto Adiong, the chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, pointed out.
Alonto Adiong emphasized that the prosecution will not base its preparation on possible developments such as archival, delay, resignation or other scenarios that may or may not occur once the case is in the Senate’s hands.
“Because these are hypothetical circumstances that might happen or may not happen. So focus kami doon sa paano ipresenta sa publiko itong mga allegations na ito at itong Articles of Impeachment,” Alonto Adiong explained.
The prosecution spokesperson said the House panel is prepared to comply with whatever rules and schedule the Senate impeachment court adopts.
“Well, sa amin naman sinusunod namin kung ano man ang alituntunin na i-adopt ng korte. Nirerespeto namin ito at sa amin naman ay handa naman kami kung maski anong araw, maski anong oras o gaano kadalas yung magiging impeachment trial na yan naman ay decision ng ating Senado na natatayong impeachment court,” Adiong noted.
He said the trial belongs to the Filipino people because the process involves public accountability and the Constitution’s mechanism for holding impeachable officials to account.
“Ito pong impeachment na ito lahat po tayo stakeholders dito, karapatan po nating malaman ang katotohanan at obligasyon po natin bilang Pilipino na naniniwala na ang ating sandigan ay ang Constitution na magbahagi at makilahok,” Alonto Adiong underscored.
With the case expected to draw intense public attention, Alonto Adiong urged citizens to help correct false information that may distort the trial or weaken public understanding of the evidence.
“At tingnan kung ano ‘yung mga hindi tama at maling impormasyon at gawin po nating obligasyon ito na tayo po mismo from our end na i-correct po ito at sabihing mali, kasi ang tumatayo po dito ang Constitution at ang pagiging Pilipino natin,” Adiong added.
The Lanao del Sur House leader said the impeachment trial should be protected as an institutional process because the credibility of constitutional accountability is also at stake.
“At yung accountability mechanism ng Constitution na dapat hindi yan masira, dapat hindi marupok, dapat ang pinanindigan niya yung tiwala ng taong bayan,” Alonto Adiong emphasized.
He also appealed to civil society groups and other sectors to help protect the integrity of the proceedings as the Senate sits as an impeachment court.
“So I’m calling, I’m appealing to all civil society organizations, all sectors of our society, that this the impeachment trial let’s help and support each other to preserve and protect the sanctity of the impeachment trial, of the impeachment court,” Alonto Adiong urged.
Alonto Adiong said the public can help defend the process in practical ways, beginning with resisting false, misleading and manipulated information that may circulate as the trial moves forward.
“And by providing our services to protect from our very little means, our ways to protect the sanctity is first to combat malinformation, disinformation, and misinformation,” Alonto Adiong said.
He warned that falsehoods can cause the greatest damage when they overpower the evidence and confuse the public’s understanding of the case.
“Kasi pag nanalo po ang mali, ang unang-una pong biktima ay ang katotohanan,” Alonto Adiong added
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