Both sides in VP Sara impeachment trial flag possible violations of sub judice rule

The defense on Tuesday raised concerns about the prosecution’s possible violation of the sub judice rule, but the latter countered saying that Vice President Duterte herself may have also disregarded the rule with her “incessant attacks” against the integrity of the impeachment court.

This developed on Day 41 of the impeachment trial, as defense lead counsel Sheila Sison said they will be submitting to the clerk of court a copy of the link containing the alleged sub judice statements made by certain private prosecutors.

“These statements not only go into a fair comment. In fact, they go into the probative value of their supposed cross examination and of the weight of the evidence presented by the defense yesterday and of the testimonial weight given by the witnesses,” she said.

Sison said she is pertaining to a press conference conducted by the prosecution on Monday and the statements made by private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

In response, Tolosa said the prosecution also reserves the right to file corresponding motions for declaration of violation of subjudice rule supposedly made by the Vice President herself.

“I think it does not escape everyone, the incessant attacks against the integrity of the impeachment court itself and the senator-judges by no less than the Vice President,” he said.

The Senate impeachment court earlier issued a ruling barring senator-judges, as well as counsels of both the prosecution and the defense, from speaking on the merits of the impeachment case against Duterte.

In a recent ruling, the impeachment court ruled that the sub judice principle under Rule 18 of the Rules of Procedure on impeachment trials shall apply “with equal force” to all articles of impeachment, whether withdrawn or pending adjudication.

The House prosecution panel earlier dropped three out of the four Articles of Impeachment leveled against the Vice President, saying its case would stand on Article II alone on alleged unexplained wealth due to non-full declaration of assets and non-divestment of business.

The withdrawn impeachment articles were: Article I on confidential funds, Article III on bribery, and Article IV on assassination plot, grave threats, and inciting to sedition against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. —RF, GMA News