House trial spokesperson and Kabataan party-list Rep. Renee Co has raised serious concerns over the defense pre-trial brief filed on behalf of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, saying it appears to undermine the purpose of pre-trial proceedings.
Co stressed that the pre-trial process was never intended to become an exercise in creating the appearance of substance.
“Pre-trial is not a mere paperwork exercise. When a filing relies heavily on duplication while offering little guidance on the actual factual defense to be presented, it risks defeating the very purpose for which pre-trial exists,” Co said.
“It is not a procedural hurdle to be cleared or a compliance requirement to be satisfied through volume alone. It is a vital stage of the impeachment process designed to assist the Court in identifying the issues, evaluating the evidence, and ultimately arriving at the truth,” she added.
According to Co, a review of the defense pre-trial brief raises questions on whether that objective is being met.
“Instead of clearly setting forth the factual defense that will be presented, much of the filing appears to rely on sweeping reservations, generic descriptions, and extensive duplication of witnesses and evidence already identified by the prosecution,” she said.
“If that is indeed the case, then one must ask: How does this assist the Court? How does this advance the search for truth?” Co added.
She said the House prosecution panel is concerned that such an approach may make the proceedings more difficult rather than more focused.
“Pre-trial is supposed to illuminate. It is supposed to clarify, and the Filipino people are entitled to know the issues,” she said.
“To be candid, there is a growing concern that the Defense Pre-Trial Brief makes a mockery of the very process it is supposed to assist. Instead of illuminating the path to trial, it appears to cloud it,” she added.
Co emphasized that impeachment is a constitutional proceeding of the highest importance and must be treated accordingly.
“The issues before the Court involve public trust, public accountability, and the integrity of public office. They are too important for submissions that create the appearance of engagement while withholding meaningful clarity,” she said.
“The Filipino people deserve a process that seeks truth rather than obscures it. The Constitution deserves better than a pre-trial process that risks becoming an exercise in form rather than substance,” Co said.