The prosecution team in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has expressed full confidence in the Senate impeachment court, saying its operations should remain unaffected regardless of who presides over the proceedings.
The statement comes amid reports that the chamber may assign a presiding officer other than the Senate president to oversee the trial.
For the prosecution, the focus should remain on the constitutional mandate of the impeachment court rather than internal leadership arrangements.
“This is a constitutional duty. It is not a question of who the presiding officer is,” House lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said in a briefing.
She stressed that impeachment proceedings are governed by the Constitution and the Senate’s own rules, making procedural leadership secondary to the institution’s obligation to hear and resolve the case.
“Regardless of who presides, we have full faith and confidence in the impeachment court,” she said.
The panel added that it expects the Senate to fulfill its constitutional role and proceed with a fair and orderly hearing of the case.
The impeachment court is currently in pre-trial proceedings ahead of the scheduled start of the trial on July 6.
Prosecutors said their preparations remain focused on completing pre-trial requirements and organizing evidence for presentation once full hearings begin.