The House prosecution team is prioritizing the presentation of evidence over discussions on the number of votes needed for conviction in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
House prosecutor and Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno said the prosecution is focused on building a strong and convincing case before the Senate impeachment court rather than speculating on the two-thirds vote threshold required under the Constitution.
“Sa amin sa prosecution, ang tutok namin ay ang maayos na paglatag ng ebidensya,” Diokno said.
“Hindi namin iniisip kung ilan ang boto. Ang mahalaga ay maging malinaw, convincing, at persuasive ang presentasyon ng ebidensya,” he added.
Diokno made the statement amid continuing debate over the constitutional voting requirement for impeachment convictions.
He stressed that such discussions are not influencing the prosecution’s preparations for the trial, which is scheduled to begin on July 6.
Instead, he said the prosecution remains focused on presenting witnesses, documentary evidence, and legal arguments supporting the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
The House prosecution panel has said it is prepared to support all four Articles of Impeachment, which include allegations of misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against top government officials.