The lead impeachment prosecutor in the House prosecution panel said the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte should be seen not only as a process to determine accountability, but also as an opportunity for the embattled Vice President to answer the allegations against her and clear her name before the Filipino people.
She emphasized that the impeachment proceedings belong ultimately to the public, with House prosecutors acting only as representatives tasked to present evidence and witnesses before the Senate impeachment court.
“As a matter of fact, the entire impeachment process must be understood and must be clear to the sovereign Filipino people, most especially the people from the grassroots sapagkat sila ang totoong may kapangyarihan nito,” House Committee on Justice chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said.
She said impeachment is a constitutional power lodged in Congress on behalf of the people, stressing that prosecutors have the duty to lay down the case against Duterte in the proper forum.
“Itong impeachment process na ito, this is a power that was given to the sovereign Filipino people through their representatives who are the members of the House,” Luistro said.
“Tayo ang maglalatag ng ebidensya at magpapatotoo tungkol sa mga alegasyon laban sa VP,” she added.
At the same time, she pointed out that the process works both ways, as it gives Duterte the chance to confront the accusations and seek dismissal of the case if the evidence is insufficient.
“That is why it works both ways itong impeachment trial na ito. If indeed wala namang ebidensya na magko-convict sa Vice President, ito din ay para sa kanya upang ma-dismiss na kaagad itong Articles of Impeachment na ito at malinis ang kanyang pangalan,” the solon said in a radio interview.
The House of Representatives earlier voted to impeach Duterte and transmitted the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, which has since convened as an impeachment court.
The Articles of Impeachment accuse Duterte of misusing confidential funds, amassing unexplained wealth, engaging in bribery, and threatening top government officials.
The Batangas lawmaker said ordinary Filipinos must understand the impeachment process because sovereignty rests with the people.
“It is incumbent na dapat naiintindihan ng sambayanang Pilipino ang buong proseso sa magaganap na impeachment trial,” she said.
She also said the framers of the Constitution deliberately gave Congress, not the judiciary, the power to handle impeachment because the process is rooted in public accountability and truth-seeking.
“Ang sabi ko nga in one of my opening statements if indeed the intention of the framers of the Constitutions is to make it purely legal, sana binigay nalang sa judiciary, pero hindi,” Luistro said.
“Ibinigay ito sa lehislatura and in our case we are the representatives of the people because the intention really is to make it liberal so as to ferret out the truth,” she added.
She said conviction would mean the allegations were proven, with removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding public office as the penalties. Acquittal, she said, would mean the respondent was found not guilty.
She added that while the Senate impeachment rules do not set a strict deadline for ending the trial, the senator-judges are expected to decide after the prosecution and defense complete the presentation of evidence.