THE House prosecution is concentrating its case against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte on unexplained wealth to move the trial toward a decision, lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Atty. Gerville R. Luistro said, maintaining that the move does not change the panel’s assessment of the other allegations.
Luistro set out five considerations behind withdrawing the articles on confidential funds, bribery and grave threats while continuing with Article II.
First, she cited the prosecution’s confidence in its unexplained-wealth evidence. “First, we express our confidence in the strength of evidence which we presented in Article 2, unexplained wealth.” The panel’s position is that this article can carry its case forward on its own.
Second, Luistro pointed to the public’s impatience with a lengthy process. “And I must say, inip na pagod na ang taumbayan,” she said, adding that people want to see the proceedings reach a conclusion but added that speed should not weaken the purpose of the case: “the mandate of transparency and accountability, which is the very reason why we are here.”
Third, she cited the Senate’s other work, particularly hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget. Narrowing the trial, she said, would ease the demands on senator-judges who also have pending bills and legislative duties.
Fourth, she stressed the prosecution’s responsibility for choosing the articles and evidence it will pursue. “It is the exclusive prerogative of the prosecution to decide what article to present, what article to submit for decision of the court and what evidence to present in support of those articles.”
Fifth, Luistro recognized the Senate’s authority to decide whether to allow the withdrawal. She also cited the Corona impeachment as a precedent for proceeding on fewer articles. She said the panel reached its decision after careful study of the interests of the public, the court and both sides.
The practical change, Luistro explained, is that the defense will present its case on unexplained wealth rather than answer all four articles. Luistro said, “A lot of time was saved.” She did not give a calculation of days or pesos saved.
Luistro reiterated her hope for completion of the impeachment trial before Christmas but treated the defense’s earlier estimate of roughly 31 trial days as a figure that could shrink after the withdrawal. She offered no promised verdict date: “But I do not have a definite date in mind. Only the impeachment court can answer that.”