A senior lawmaker has called on the Senate impeachment court to consider directing both the prosecution and defense panels in the Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment trial to refrain from publicly commenting on the merits of the case, citing the need to preserve the integrity of the proceedings.
He said the case is already being tried in the “court of public opinion” even before formal hearings start. He stressed that public commentary on the substance of the allegations should be avoided to prevent undue influence on the process.
“The impeachment court should advise both the prosecution and defense panels to refrain from openly commenting on the merits of the case at bar,” Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who is set to serve as one of the senator-judges in the trial scheduled to begin on July 6, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
He clarified that his concern is limited to discussions on the merits of the case and does not extend to procedural explanations or information that may help the public understand the impeachment process.
“Merits of the case lang ang concern ko; nothing to do with the process and other similar points of information that the public may appreciate,” he added.
His statement came shortly after the Senate completed pre-trial proceedings, where both parties marked evidence and identified witnesses for the upcoming trial.
According to Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr., the trial may run for up to 92 hearing days, with the prosecution expected to present evidence over 62 days and the defense over 30 days. Hearings are scheduled from Monday to Wednesday each week.
The impeachment court is expected to issue its pre-trial order ahead of the formal start of proceedings next month.