The House prosecution panel maintained that no documentary evidence has been excluded from the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte during the ongoing pre-trial before the Senate impeachment court.
Questions had been raised on whether any documents, records, or witness materials had been struck out during the pre-trial process. Prosecutors clarified that this stage is not meant to determine admissibility of evidence.
“Striking off records is not supposed to happen during pre-trial,” House prosecution panel lead Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said, stressing that admissibility issues will only be tackled once the full trial begins.
The House team emphasized that the pre-trial phase is limited to procedural matters such as marking of exhibits and framing stipulations of fact, not ruling on the merits of the case.
She added that both prosecution and defense panels are currently completing the organization and marking of documentary exhibits ahead of the issuance of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial order.
Officials also declined to discuss specific evidence or witness lists, citing restrictions on disclosing substantive details before trial. “We cannot dwell on the merits of the impeachment case at this stage,” the solon said.
Despite tight procedural constraints, prosecutors described the atmosphere in the pre-trial as firm but orderly, with both sides actively preparing their respective cases.
The impeachment trial of Sara Duterte is scheduled to begin on July 6 before the Senate impeachment court.