Declining public interest in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial contributed to the prosecution’s decision to withdraw three charges and concentrate on unexplained wealth, amid survey findings showing fewer Filipinos closely following the proceedings than during previous presidential and judicial impeachment trials.
This is according to House lead impeachment prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro as she acknowledged the diminishing audience reported by Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The prosecutors considered the public’s growing impatience with the lengthy proceedings when deciding to narrow the case.
“Siguro hindi naman bothered except that we lament that this impeachment trial is happening for the interest of the Filipino people and yet, as you have said, the number of viewers or Filipino watching the trial is decreasing,” Luistro said.
The latest SWS survey found that 42 percent of adult Filipinos followed Duterte’s impeachment trial very or somewhat closely, compared with 47 percent during former President Joseph Estrada’s impeachment trial in January 2001.
The same survey showed that 52 percent and 54 percent closely followed the impeachment proceedings against former Chief Justice Renato Corona in separate surveys conducted in March and May 2012.
“That is the impeachment fatigue which I was talking about earlier,” Luistro explained.
The prosecution chief pointed out that allegations against Duterte had already been the subject of congressional inquiries beginning in 2024, making the controversy considerably longer than the Senate trial alone.
“And that is one of our consideration why we decided to withdraw the three and pursue just one because alam po ng prosecution, as I have said, pagod na ang mga Pilipino, inip na ang mga Pilipino,” Luistro stressed.
Prosecutors dropped the confidential funds, bribery and grave threats articles on Oct. 13, leaving Article II involving alleged unexplained wealth as the sole remaining charge against the Vice President.
“Karapatan po nilang matunghayan ang dulo ng napakahabang impeachment process na ito,” Luistro also emphasized.
The prosecution also expressed confidence that forensic accountant Alexander Cabrera’s testimony helped explain complex financial transactions and demonstrate how the documentary evidence relates to the remaining impeachment charge.
“And this is for the reason na the expert witness in the person of attorney Alex Cabrera, the forensic analyst, was able to explain clearly the connection of every piece of evidence with each other,” Luistro also explained.
Cabrera previously testified that his financial analysis identified approximately P817.87 million in allegedly unexplained wealth involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, although the defense disputes the prosecution’s findings and their interpretation.
“Secondly, meron po tayong kasabihan, numbers do not lie, numbers do not lie,” Luistro maintained, expressing confidence that the documentary evidence could sustain public attention and support the remaining impeachment charge when the trial resumes on Nov. 9.