The House prosecution panel has urged law enforcement agencies to secure the Senate premises, prosecutors, witnesses, personnel, and evidence ahead of the June 18 pre-trial conference in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The call was made following reports of a security threat and the defacement of the Senate website, although the prosecution said it remains unclear whether the incidents were connected to the impeachment proceedings.
Still, the panel said authorities should immediately look into any potential risks as the case moves toward the pre-trial stage.
“You know, it’s hard to speculate if this is connected to the impeachment trial,” House lead prosecutor Atty. Gerville Luistro said at a press conference.
“What is clear, we have a schedule already for our first pre-trial conference on June 18, and that will be this coming Thursday,” she added.
The prosecution said security concerns cover those who will join the filing of the pre-trial brief on Monday and the pre-trial conference on Thursday, as well as senators, the defense team, Senate officials, and employees working within the Senate premises.
Luistro called on law enforcement and investigative agencies, including the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice, to assess the situation and ensure that the Senate remains safe and secure.
“Atin pong tingnan nito, let us look into this and make sure na ligtas, safe and secured, ang premises ng Senate,” she said.
The prosecution said the matter becomes more urgent if the reported threat is found to be linked to the impeachment process, which it described as a constitutional proceeding of national importance.
“Whether connected or not, sana ay tutukan po ito ng ating mga katuwang sa paglilingkod mula sa law enforcement agencies,” the Batangas lawmaker noted.
The House leadership has also started communications on providing security for prosecutors following reports from the NBI and the hacking of the Senate’s official website.
The prosecution panel said it is also seeking measures to protect witnesses and safeguard evidence that may be presented during the trial.
“There are ongoing communications already in order to address that,” she said.