Senator Panfilo Lacson on Friday asked the Senate Impeachment Court to advise both the prosecution and defense panels to refrain from openly commenting on the merits of the case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
In a statement, Lacson said there is a need to protect the integrity of the proceedings and prevent the case from being litigated in the court of public opinion.
“Even before the impeachment trial begins on July 6, a separate trial before the bar of public opinion is already ongoing. The impeachment court should advise both the prosecution and defense panels to refrain from openly commenting on the merits of the case at bar,” Lacson said in a post on X.
Lacson, who will serve as one of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial, said his concern is limited to comments on the substance of the case and do not extend to discussions on procedural issues and other issues that may help public understanding of the impeachment process.
“Merits of the case lang ang concern ko (My only concern is the merits of the case); nothing to do with the process and other similar points of information that the public may appreciate,” he said,
Impeachment pre-trial proceedings concluded on Thursday, during which the House prosecution panel, the Vice President’s defense team, and the Impeachment Clerk of Court marked evidence and identified witnesses for the trial.
Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr. earlier said that the impeachment trial will be held every Monday to Wednesday at 2 p.m. before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.
After the SONA, it will be held during Tuesday to Thursday at 2 p.m. (Leonel Abasola/PNA)