THE 11-member House prosecution panel on Tuesday said it is now in “full swing” as it prepares for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, with lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro disclosing the initial task assignments covering the four major Articles of Impeachment.
Speaking during the prosecution panel’s first press conference following the convening of the Senate impeachment court, Luistro said the prosecutors are now preparing for both the pre-trial and the full-blown trial proceedings.
“We are currently preparing already for the forthcoming pre-trial and trial of these Articles of Impeachment,” Luistro said.
“Rest assured that the 11 prosecutors are already in its full swing of preparation. So come the pre-trial and the trial, you will expect that the 11 prosecutors will be there to appear before the impeachment court,” she added.
Aside from Luistro, the prosecution panel is composed of Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno, Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, Cagayan de Oro 1st District Rep. Lordan Suan and Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua.
Luistro said the prosecution panel has organized teams corresponding to the four major impeachment articles: threats and destabilization, bribery, unexplained wealth, and confidential funds.
She clarified that the assignments are still subject to adjustments and do not necessarily reflect the order in which the articles will be presented during trial.
“This is a matter which is still being discussed,” Luistro said.
The article on threats and destabilization stems from allegations that Duterte publicly threatened President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez during an online press conference in November 2024, where she said she had arranged for someone to kill them if she herself were killed.
The team handling the article will be led by Defensor, with De Lima, Zamora, and Luistro as members.
The bribery article involves allegations surrounding the supposed distribution of cash envelopes, including the so-called “HOPE” envelopes allegedly given to officials involved in Department of Education (DepEd) procurement activities.
The article will be handled by Chua, joined by Gutierrez, Bag-ao and Zamora.
The unexplained wealth article centers on allegations involving Duterte’s alleged accumulation of wealth disproportionate to her declared income, including financial records and bank transaction reports discussed during House hearings.
The team assigned to the article is led by Ridon, with Diokno, Bag-ao, Gutierrez, Luistro, Chua, De Lima, Suan and Flores as members.
The confidential funds article involves allegations of misuse and questionable liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P612.5 million allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as Education secretary.
Luistro said the article will be handled by her team, with Chua, Defensor, Gutierrez, Suan, Flores, Diokno and Ridon as members.
The House prosecutors also welcomed the Senate’s move to convene as an impeachment court, while stressing that the Constitution requires the trial itself to proceed “forthwith.”
“As we witnessed yesterday, the impeachment court already convened, and we commend the action of the Senate of the Philippines for responding to the mandate of the Constitution,” Luistro said.
“Nevertheless, let us all be reminded that what is mandated to be forthwith is not only the convening, it is the trial that is mandated to be forthwith.”
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