A House leader warned that efforts appear to be underway to discredit the prosecution panel in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate trial formally begins.
House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair Jude Acidre said the pattern of public statements, online criticisms, and what he described as baseless accusations seemed intended to weaken public confidence in the impeachment process and distract from the evidence to be presented before the Senate.
The House of Representatives earlier voted 257-25-9 to impeach Duterte over allegations that include misuse of public funds, unexplained wealth, and threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other government officials.
He said he was speaking from his own observation, but noted that the attacks against House prosecutors appeared organized.
“We can see a pattern of efforts to undermine the House prosecutors,” Acidre said in an interview.
He said the supposed campaign could be aimed at derailing the process or reducing public interest in the impeachment trial.
The warning comes as the Senate prepares to hear the case amid a politically charged atmosphere, including disputes over remote participation, a minority walkout, and allegations involving Charter change that some senators later dismissed as fake news or propaganda.
Despite the noise, he said the prosecution team should remain focused on its constitutional duty to defend the Articles of Impeachment.
He expressed confidence that the House prosecutors are prepared to present the case before the Senate, saying many of them have litigation experience and had already participated in Justice Committee proceedings where the allegations and supporting documents were reviewed.
“They’ve seen the evidence for themselves,” Acidre said.
He also backed the prosecution’s plan to avoid theatrics and focus on evidence once the trial begins.
“When you have evidence, when you have strong evidence to build your case on, there will be no need for theatrics,” he said.
He emphasized that the Senate trial should be decided on the merits of the case, not by political noise or attempts to discredit the prosecutors before they can present their arguments.