House trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said any renewed attempt by Vice President Sara Z. Duterte to question the legality of her impeachment trial before the Supreme Court would suggest that she is avoiding the allegations or has no answer to them.
Alonto Adiong said the House prosecution team cannot predict Duterte’s next move, but any effort by her defense to seek dismissal on technical grounds instead of confronting the charges would send a clear message to the public.
“Kung mayroong pagkakataon na ‘yan ang gagawin nila, isa lang ang magiging message sa taumbayan ‘yan: ayaw nilang sumagot, wala silang maisagot. Kaya tineteknikal nalang nila,” he said.
“It will send a clear message to the public that they don’t have really any answers to provide to the court, to really belie or to really oppose, or to really you know, defend and counter the arguments,” he added.
Alonto Adiong said Duterte has repeatedly claimed she is ready to face the charges before the Senate impeachment court, which she has described as the proper forum instead of the House of Representatives.
He said it would be difficult to reconcile those assurances with any move to avoid appearing before the impeachment court or explaining her side. For someone denying the allegations, he said the trial should be treated as an opportunity to defend oneself.
“Kung wala ka naman talagang kasalanan, wala kang ikakatakot. Kung wala kang kasalanan at mayroon talagang mga akusasyon sa’yo, mas gusto mo pa nga eh na magkaroon ng pagkakataon para depensahan ang sarili mo kasi ‘yun na ‘yun ‘yung paraan para pabulaanan ang lahat ng mga alegasyon,” he said.
“I think they should welcome this as an opportunity to really defend the respondent kung talagang wala silang paglabag sa Konstitusyon na ayon sa ating articles of impeachment,” he added.
Alonto Adiong maintained that the House complied with the impeachment process required by the Constitution and its own rules.
He said the impeachment complaints against Duterte were endorsed by House members and later examined by the Committee on Justice. During the clarificatory hearings, where evidence and testimonies were reviewed, he said lawmakers followed the rules, avoided probing questions, and gave the respondent enough opportunity to answer each allegation.
After the committee found grounds to impeach Duterte, the House voted on the recommendation in plenary before transmitting the articles of impeachment to the Senate.
“When it was approved, it was transmitted as what the Constitution required for the process to proceed to the Senate to try and decide,” he said.
“Di ko alam kung paano nila ifeframe ‘yung kanilang argumento to question the entire process, pero isa lang yung magiging message as taumbayan — ayaw talaga niyang sumagot. Ayaw niya talagang patunayan sa taumbayan na they’re ready to face the charges in the proper forum,” he added.
Despite concerns that Duterte may choose not to appear during the trial, Alonto Adiong said he remains confident that the Senate impeachment court will conduct the proceedings fairly and impartially.
He said the impeachment trial is the constitutional forum for hearing evidence and resolving the case.
“Sa palagay ko, ang magiging trial ay patas naman ito, impartial naman ito. Ang magiging paksa lang talaga dito ay yung ebidensya na mapo-produce ng prosecution at magagaling naman ang depensa, mga members ng defense team ng respondent ng vice president,” he said.
“So ito na yung pinaka-democratic na pinaka-legitimate na paraan para isulong itong impeachment trial na, sa alam naman natin sa Saligang Batas, ang Senado lang ang may kapangyarihan para pag-usapan ito,” he added.
The 11-member House prosecution panel, supported by volunteer private prosecutors, has spent months preparing its legal strategy, evidence, and witnesses to prove the allegations in the articles of impeachment.
“Ito na ‘yung oras na malalaman na ng taong bayan at mapapakinggan na ng taong bayan ‘yung specific na particular na ebidensya na hindi nakita at hindi narinig nung oras na tayo sa House of Representatives na nagco-conduct ng confirmation hearings,” Alonto Adiong said.
Duterte is facing four impeachment charges involving the alleged misuse of ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
The trial is set to begin on July 6, when both sides are expected to present evidence before the Senate impeachment court.