The opening of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday will be devoted primarily to legal and procedural matters.
No witness will take the stand yet, according to House of Representatives impeachment adviser and spokesperson Robert Ace Barbers in a news release on Sunday.
“The Filipino people should expect the Senate impeachment court to first establish the legal framework that will govern the entire trial. That is how any orderly judicial proceeding begins,” Barbers said.
He explained that the first day will include the entry of counsels’ appearance, respondent’s plea, opening statements from both sides, and the resolution of preliminary legal issues before the court proceeds to the presentation of evidence.
“Wala pa pong mga testigo bukas. Wala pang presentation ng ebidensya. Ang unang araw ay para tiyakin na malinaw ang mga patakaran at maayos ang magiging takbo ng paglilitis (No witnesses yet tomorrow. No presentation of evidence yet. The first day is for ensuring that the rules are clear and that the direction of the trial is in order),” he said.
Barbers said the House prosecution panel has completed its preparations and is ready to present its case once the court reaches the evidentiary phase.
He emphasized that the public should not measure the progress of the trial by who appears to have won the legal exchanges on the first day.
“Hindi ito debate competition. Hindi rin ito paramihan ng soundbite. Ang tunay na sukatan ng kasong ito ay ang ebidensyang ihaharap at ang magiging pasya ng impeachment court batay sa konstitusyon at sa mga katotohanan (This is not a debate competition. This is not a race of soundbites’ number. The true scale of this case is the evidence to be presented and the would-be decision of the impeachment court based on the constitution and truth),” Barbers said.
He urged the public to view Monday’s proceedings as an affirmation that the country’s constitutional institutions are functioning as intended.
“Ang pinakamahalagang mangyayari bukas ay hindi kung sino ang mas mahusay magsalita. Ang pinakamahalaga ay magsisimula na ang constitutional process ng impeachment. Ito ang mekanismong itinakda ng ating Saligang Batas upang panagutin ang pinakamataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan kapag may seryosong alegasyon laban sa kanila (The most important that will happen tomorrow is not about who can talk better. The most important is that the constitutional process of impeachment is already about to start. This is the mechanism mandated by our constitution to hold responsible the highest official of the government when there is a serious allegation against [any of] them),” he said.
Barbers assured that the prosecution will respect all rulings of the Senate impeachment court while remaining focused on presenting the evidence supporting the Articles of Impeachment.
“Our commitment is simple: To respect the Court, uphold the Constitution and present the evidence in an orderly, fair and transparent trial. We ask the public to allow the process to unfold and let the evidence speak for itself,” Barbers said.
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, also a House trial spokesperson, encouraged the youth to witness democracy and constitutional accountability in action.
“I encourage our young people to watch the proceedings from Day One. Seeing viral clips or social media summaries will not be enough. Watch the process unfold. Understand how processes work and why accountability matters in a democracy,” Co said in a separate news release.
Co noted the impeachment trial is a reminder that no public official is beyond accountability.
“One of the most important lessons our youth can learn is that public office is a public trust. No matter how high the position, every public official remains accountable to the Filipino people under the constitution,” she said. (PNA)