The House prosecution panel indicated it will refrain from pursuing every potential sub judice violation involving Vice President Sara Duterte, opting instead to keep the trial’s central focus strictly on the strength of their evidence.
Addressing public exchanges surrounding the trial’s conduct, lead prosecutor Rep. Jinky Luistro affirmed that the team will not get drawn into side disputes or political theatricality, choosing to present a case anchored in factual documentation and sworn testimony.
Members of the prosecution team previously urged the Senate impeachment court to enforce sub judice rules uniformly across all parties, pointing out that public commentary questioning the court’s independence and integrity warrants equal scrutiny.
”If we’re really to set the standard for all parties involved in this impeachment trial to observe with due diligence, avoiding violating the sub judice, it should be applied to the respondent herself,” noted prosecution spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong. Private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. similarly emphasized that statements undermining the trial’s process raise significant institutional concerns.
”The Vice President said the President controls the Senate, judges and the prosecutors. For me this is a clear violation of sub judice rule because it was an attack against the integrity of the court,” Tolosa stated.
Despite those concerns, the prosecution panel reiterated that its primary responsibility remains proving the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate. Prosecution spokesperson Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores reaffirmed that procedural rulings and external noise will not derail their presentation of evidence.
The trial panel continues to prepare its documentary filings and financial witnesses as the Senate impeachment court moves into its scheduled hearing blocks.