A House lawmaker has raised concerns over the pre-trial brief submitted by Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s legal team, questioning whether it provides clarity for the impeachment court or instead complicates the issues surrounding the case.
Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said a pre-trial brief is intended to function as a “roadmap” for the court and the public, outlining the issues, evidence, and arguments of both sides.
“After reading this filing, one cannot help but ask: is this a roadmap—or a labyrinth?” Ortega said.
According to him, many of the witnesses and documentary exhibits listed in the defense filing are described in broad and generic terms, with limited explanation of what specific facts they are meant to establish.
“When people read a roadmap, they expect directions. They expect clarity. They expect answers,” he said. “But when everything is described in vague and sweeping terms, the question naturally arises: is the objective to clarify the issues—or to obscure them?”
Ortega said a pre-trial brief should help narrow the issues and guide the impeachment court in identifying what matters are truly relevant for trial.
“The purpose of a pre-trial brief is to narrow the issues and guide the court,” he said. “It should help people see where the case is headed.”
However, he said the filing appears to fall short of that standard if key questions remain unclear after review.
“But if people finish reading the filing and still do not know how the defense intends to explain these matters, then it is fair to ask whether the filing has accomplished its purpose,” Ortega added.
He also stressed that ordinary Filipinos are seeking direct answers on the allegations raised in the case, not legal complexity.
“The Filipino people are not asking for legal jargon. They are asking straightforward questions,” he said. “Where did the money go? How were public funds spent? What happened to the confidential funds that are now being questioned?”
“How does the Vice President explain the allegations regarding wealth and financial transactions that have become part of public discussion? These are the questions people want answered,” he added.
Ortega emphasized that Vice President Duterte retains her constitutional right to fully present her defense before the impeachment court.
“In fact, we welcome it. We want to hear the explanations. We want to hear the witnesses. We want to see the evidence,” he said. “Because the Filipino people deserve answers.”
He said the impeachment trial remains the proper venue for resolving the issues through evidence and sworn testimony.
“The public has waited for months,” he said. “They have heard allegations. They have heard denials. What they want now are explanations supported by evidence.”
“The purpose of a roadmap is to lead people to answers. The purpose of a labyrinth is to keep people wandering,” Ortega added.