House prosecutors are preparing a detailed evidence strategy for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, as they expressed hope that the Senate Impeachment Court will give the case a full and fair hearing.
The prosecution panel views the Senate’s notice to convene as a positive step in moving the constitutional process forward, according to Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts and one of the prosecutors in the case.
Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano earlier informed Speaker Faustino “Bodjie” Dy III that the Senate Impeachment Court will convene at 3 pm on Monday, May 18.
Ridon said the House prosecutors are ready to proceed, stressing that the Senate, acting as an impeachment court, must allow both the prosecution and the defense to present their evidence before senator-judges.
“So tingin ko po yung mga senator-judges naman po natin at the time of trial, they will look at it with open eyes, will look at the evidence both from the prosecution and the defense, and decide based on the evidence and based on their conscience,” Ridon said during the “Saturday News Forum” in Quezon City.
Ridon said the House prosecution team is preparing for a substantive trial, not a ceremonial appearance. He said the 11-member panel will divide the work among the prosecutors, with each assigned to handle specific impeachment grounds and evidence clusters.
“Labing-isa ang mga prosecutors. So I think all of us may at least two grounds na i-represent at bahagi,” Ridon said.
“So talagang may kanya-kanyang bahagi kung saan talagang pinapresent ang iba’t ibang aspeto ng kaso,” he added.
Ridon said he expects to handle matters involving alleged unexplained wealth and the alleged misuse of confidential funds, two of the most evidence-heavy charges in the impeachment case.
Article I of the Articles of Impeachment accuses Duterte of systematic misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation of P612.5 million in confidential funds under the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
Article II covers allegations of unexplained wealth, discrepancies in Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, continued business interests, and billions of pesos in covered and suspicious transactions reflected in Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records involving Duterte and her spouse.
Ridon said the unexplained wealth charge will require a multi-agency presentation, with evidence expected to involve records from the AMLC, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Securities and Exchange Commission, and other government agencies.
“So for example, for unexplained wealth, may mag-presenta para sa AMLC, may mag-presenta for BIR, may mag-presenta for SEC at iba pang related ahensya para patunayan ang unexplained wealth,” he said.
The House earlier impeached Duterte for the second time, with 257 lawmakers voting in favor of the Articles of Impeachment, exceeding the 106 votes needed to transmit the case to the Senate. The charges include allegations involving confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, graft and corruption, and threats against top government officials.
For Ridon, the next stage is clear: the House has transmitted the Articles, the Senate President has announced the convening of the impeachment court, and the prosecution is prepared to present its case.
“If it is something that is dead on arrival, it would have been a different pronouncement by the current Senate President,” the party-list lawmaker stressed.
“We have great faith in [Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s] pronouncement na talagang mag-convene ang Senate Impeachment Court. Panghahawakan po namin ang ganitong commitment,” he added.