House prosecutor and Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor said the Senate impeachment trial is the due process that would allow Vice President Sara Duterte to answer the allegations against her and clear her name.
Reacting to Duterte’s formal response to the articles of impeachment, Defensor said the prosecution panel remains hopeful that the Senate impeachment court will proceed to a full trial, hear evidence from both sides, and avoid dismissing the case based on procedural challenges.
“The only way to dismiss the case is for the Senate impeachment court to acquit her. Pero dapat matuloy muna ang proseso na may trial forthwith. At dapat sana huwag na rin isyuhan ito ng TRO injunction ng ating Korte Suprema,” Defensor said in an interview on ANC’s “Headstart.”
Defensor said the prosecution panel is confident in the strength of its evidence and witnesses to prove the allegations against Duterte.
He warned that dismissing the case without a full trial would deprive the public of the opportunity to hear the evidence, understand the issues, and see the truth established through the constitutional process.
“Ang sinasabi lang namin na matibay ang ebidensya at gusto naming magkaroon ng totoong trial imbes na i-dismiss itong kasong ito,” he said.
Duterte filed her response on Monday. According to the prosecution panel, the vice president again relied heavily on procedural and technical arguments, including questions on due process and the validity of the House impeachment proceedings.
Defensor said the trial before the Senate impeachment court is the due process provided under the Constitution for impeachable officials.
He said the proceedings would also give the prosecution its first formal opportunity to answer Duterte’s claim that she was denied due process in the House.
Defensor maintained that Duterte was invited to every hearing of the House Committee on Justice and was repeatedly given the chance to present counter-evidence.
He said Duterte is free to raise any defense before the Senate, but the prosecution believes the case should be decided based on the evidence and not dismissed before trial.
“The vice president is entitled to whatever defense that she wants to bring forward and we respect that. Pero para sa amin, ang kaso ay matibay and we leave that to the Senate impeachment court to decide based on the evidence,” he said.
Duterte is facing impeachment charges over the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, bribery involving senior Department of Education officials during her term as education secretary, alleged unexplained wealth and discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, and alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
No formal notices have been issued yet on the schedule of the pre-trial and trial proceedings.
The prosecution panel, however, hopes the Senate impeachment court will proceed with the case, with the pre-trial conference and trial proper tentatively set for June 15 and July 6, respectively.