The House prosecution team said it will not present surprise witnesses or undisclosed evidence in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, emphasizing that all materials to be used in court will be properly disclosed in advance.
House prosecutor Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora of San Juan City said the team is committed to transparency and will rely only on evidence already included in the Articles of Impeachment, as well as those presented during earlier House Committee on Justice hearings.
She said the prosecution will submit a pre-trial brief detailing all witnesses and evidence intended for presentation, except for limited items covered by reservations allowed under impeachment rules. She stressed that the defense will not be taken by surprise during the proceedings.
“So everything will be relevant, everything will be related to the allegations or the articles of impeachment,” the solon from San Juan said, adding that the prosecution will follow established rules requiring disclosure of evidence ahead of trial.
She also noted that the general principle of the prosecution is to avoid introducing unexpected testimony or materials, ensuring that both sides are fully informed before the trial proper begins.
Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro of Batangas said, however, that the House may still use compulsory legal processes such as subpoenas during the impeachment trial to compel the production of documents or the appearance of witnesses if necessary.
She said these powers are explicitly allowed under the Constitution and are intended to assist the Senate impeachment court in fully examining the case.
She added that similar subpoena powers were already used during House committee hearings on the impeachment complaints, and may again be exercised if needed to complete the evidentiary record.
The House prosecution panel is set to submit its pre-trial brief as part of preparations for the impeachment trial of Vice President Duterte, which is scheduled to begin next month.