The House prosecution panel has designated Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co as official spokespersons for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate impeachment court.
Adiong said the move aims to help the public better understand the proceedings and counter misinformation as the highly anticipated trial unfolds.
Speaking in a radio interview, the House trial spokesperson said the impeachment proceedings would likely draw nationwide attention, making it important to explain legal developments in simpler terms for ordinary Filipinos.
“Kapag nag-umpisa ang actual trial sa Senado, ang buong bansa ang makikinig at magsusubaybay sa impeachment court na ito,” Adiong said.
He explained that members of the prosecution panel need to focus on presenting evidence, legal arguments, and witnesses before the impeachment court instead of handling multiple media interviews during the trial.
“Dapat focus talaga sila,” he said.
According to Adiong, the spokesperson role was created to serve as a bridge between the impeachment court proceedings and the public by translating legal and constitutional discussions into more understandable language.
“So minamarapat natin ang House Prosecution Team na merong maging tulay para ma-explain at ma-laymanize sa ating mga kababayan kung ano ang napag-uusapan doon sa korte,” he said.
The lawmaker also stressed the importance of maintaining a clear and consistent flow of information amid the spread of disinformation and partisan narratives online.
“Isa rin ito sa mga mekanismo para masugpo ang mga posibleng magiging source of disinformation and misinformation. Alam naman natin kung paano ang galawan ngayon sa social media,” the lawmaker from Mindanao added.
The House earlier voted 257-25, with nine abstentions, to impeach Duterte and transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, where senators have since taken their oath as judges of the impeachment court.
Adiong emphasized that the impeachment process is rooted in the Constitution and serves as a mechanism for accountability against impeachable public officials accused of violating the law or public trust.
He also noted that previous impeachment proceedings similarly designated spokespersons to help explain developments to the public while the trials were ongoing.
The solon said he accepted the responsibility with gratitude and acknowledged the need to closely study the evidence and legal arguments that will be presented during the trial.
“Well, siyempre ito ay mataas na tungkulin. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa House Prosecution Team dahil meron silang tiwala sa atin na pwede tayong maging tulay para ma-explain sa publiko kung anong nangyayari during the actual trial,” he said.