The House prosecution panel has questioned whether detained Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada can effectively participate as a senator-judge in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte if he is unable to physically attend hearings and directly observe witness testimony.
House prosecutor and Manila Rep. Joel Chua, together with trial spokesperson and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co, raised the concern during the launch of “Bantay Impeachment” at Claret School in Quezon City, emphasizing that impeachment adjudication requires firsthand assessment of witnesses and proceedings.
Chua said credibility evaluation cannot be fully achieved through remote or limited participation.
“How can he participate in an impeachment trial if he is not physically present in the hearing? How can he assess whether a witness is telling the truth or lying? How can he observe the manner, the conduct, and how a witness responds to questions?” Chua said.
The House panel made the statement during the launch of “Bantay Impeachment,” a citizen monitoring initiative attended by more than 120 representatives from anti-corruption groups, civil society organizations, church formations, youth sectors, and other concerned stakeholders.
The initiative aims to promote accountability, transparency, and broader public participation in the impeachment proceedings against Duterte amid concerns over Senate leadership dynamics and possible efforts to delay or weaken the constitutional process.
Organizers stressed that impeachment is a constitutional mechanism designed to ensure public accountability, not a political struggle among competing interests.
The prosecution panel noted that senator-judges will be tasked to evaluate both testimonial and documentary evidence contained in the Articles of Impeachment transmitted by the House, which include allegations involving confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against public officials.
Chua clarified that preventive suspension does not constitute a finding of guilt but temporarily restricts an official’s ability to perform duties.
“Preventive suspension does not mean he is already guilty. It only means he is temporarily unable to perform his functions,” he said.
Co said Senate impeachment rules remain unchanged and should be expected to apply when the trial begins on July 6.
“The Senate rules of impeachment have not changed. Unless new rules are adopted by that date, the current framework limiting Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s participation will remain,” she said.
She also underscored that the quality of participation is central to impeachment proceedings, noting that credibility assessment is significantly affected when direct observation is absent.
“There is a clear difference between remote participation and face-to-face proceedings. Physical presence is important when evaluating testimony and credibility,” Co said.
On the question of who will preside over the impeachment court, Chua said the matter remains internal to the Senate and no official designation has been announced.
“That is for the senators to decide. As far as we know, there has been no final selection yet. We will wait for the start of the impeachment hearing on July 6,” he said.