Deputy Speaker and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin condemned online attacks against members of the House prosecution panel, describing ridicule over their physical appearance during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as bullying.
Garin urged the public to focus on the evidence presented before the Senate impeachment court instead of resorting to personal attacks.
The criticism followed the circulation of social media posts and memes after the first week of trial. Some Duterte supporters mocked lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro over visible saliva while delivering the prosecution’s opening statement, and prosecution counsel Amando Virgil Ligutan after he appeared to have a runny nose during the presentation of evidence.
Asked to address the issue as a physician, Garin said the attacks reflected the deteriorating quality of public discourse and had no medical or scientific basis.
“Unang una, ikinagugulat ko bakit ba tayo pumupunta sa ganung kababa ng discourse?” Garin said during a press briefing.
The former Health secretary explained that saliva and dry mouth are normal physiological conditions that may result from dehydration, prolonged speaking, or the use of certain medications. She added that colds are caused by viral infections.
“Saliva is part of a normal person. At kapag medyo nade-dehydrate ka, o ikaw ay umiinom ng maintenance medications, kaakibat nito ay talagang medyo nagkakaroon ng dryness. Normal ba ito? Yes! So why focus on that?” she said.
Garin also dismissed online claims suggesting that saliva or colds could indicate dishonesty.
“Never in the history of the medical community has colds or sipon been a cause of lying,” she said.
She warned that the attacks were diverting public attention from the substantive issues being heard by the impeachment court.
“Hindi! Kailangan bang pagtawanan ’yan? No! It’s actually bullying. The prosecutors are just doing their job,” Garin said.
She called on the public to reject misinformation and return the discussion to the merits of the case.
“Andyan na ’yung impeachment court. Ipagpatuloy, tuldukan at sagutin ang mga dapat sagutin. Huwag ilihis. Let us avoid personal attacks. Let us focus on the issue at hand,” she said.
House prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua, meanwhile, said appearing before the Senate impeachment court is physically demanding, recalling that prosecutors were initially prohibited from bringing drinking water into the session hall.
Chua said security personnel stopped him from carrying water into the chamber on the first day of trial and required him to finish it before entering.
He thanked Sen. Pia Cayetano for later proposing that prosecutors be allowed to have water during the proceedings.
“Napakahirap din po noon, magsasalita ka doon, tuyo na ’yung bibig mo. Hindi rin naman po ganun kadali na magsalita doon sa harap ng mga ating kagalang-galang na senator-judges, at sa harap din ng publiko,” Chua said.