The House prosecution panel said it will now focus on whether Vice President Sara Duterte remains fit to hold office as her Senate impeachment trial enters its next phase.
“Ngayong linggong ito, we will have to move forward by establishing whether the Vice President is fit to be in the office or not,” former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, a spokesperson and adviser to the prosecution, said Monday.
The statement came ahead of the resumption of proceedings, with the prosecution expected to present National Bureau of Investigation regional director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc as its second witness under the fourth Article of Impeachment.
The charge stems from Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online press conference, during which she said she had arranged for someone to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez if she were killed.
Barbers said impeachment is not a criminal proceeding and does not determine whether an official should be imprisoned. Its purpose, he said, is to decide whether the official should remain in office.
“Hindi ito parang criminal case na kung saan ’yung mga elements of the crime ay mapapatunayan sa korte at pagka ito’y napatunayan, ikaw ay makukulong,” he said.
“This impeachment process, walang kulong, kundi ’yung pagtatanggal lamang sa opisina.”
Barbers said the central issue is whether Duterte remains qualified to serve as vice president in light of the evidence presented before the impeachment court.
“Kasi ang malaking tanong: Ikaw ba ay karapat-dapat na manilbihan o manungkulan bilang pangalawang pangulo after nakita natin itong mga ebidensyang inilatag na ito?” he said.
During the opening week of the trial, NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung authenticated the video of Duterte’s Nov. 23 press conference, along with official statements and other digital materials gathered during the agency’s investigation.
Barbers said the testimony established the evidentiary foundation for the prosecution’s case.
Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union said the panel would continue relying on its evidence as the proceedings move forward.
“Sigurado ’yan na nakahanda at mas maingay ang ebidensya sa kahit anong ingay sa palibot ng impeachment,” Ortega said.