Who will prosecute VP Sara Duterte in the impeachment trial?

Eleven lawmakers have been named to the prosecution panel in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on Wednesday, with 215 representatives endorsing the fourth impeachment complaint against her.

LOOK: The House members who signed impeachment complaint vs. VP Sara Duterte

On the same day, the following representatives were named as prosecutors in the case.

• Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, Batangas 2nd District
• Romeo Acop, Antipolo City 2nd District
• Ramon Rodrigo "Rodge" Gutierrez, 1-Rider Party-list
• Joel Chua, City of Manila 3rd District
• Raul Angelo "Jil" Bongalon, Ako Bicol Party-list 
• Loreto Acharon, General Santos City Lone District
• Marcelo Libanan, 4Ps Party-list
• Arnan Panaligan, Oriental Mindoro 1st District
• Ysabel Maria Zamora, San Juan City Lone District 
• Lorenz Defensor, Iloilo 3rd District
• Jonathan Keith Flores, Bukidnon 2nd District

Also on Wednesday, Iloilo's Defensor said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. did not have anything to do with the decision of the 215 House members to endorse the complaint. The total is more than twice the 102—or one-third of the House membership—needed to proceed with the impeachment.

“Walang kinalaman ang presidente sa amin [The President has nothing to do with us]. We did not get instructions from anyone. We had consultations sa aming mga partido [with our parties],” he told reporters in an ambush interview.

Defensor even called on the executive department to recognize the separation of powers of the various branches of government.

“Maganda rin na [It is good that] the executive department under the president respects the separate power of the legislative to act on the evidence we have based on committee hearings, as well as the evidence presented on air, and it is our constitutional duty,” he said.

Defensor also believes the Senate can convene itself into an impeachment even during the recess. Today was the last day of session in Congress before legislators go on a break to campaign for Eleksyon 2025.

“If the Senate decides to accept it and convene as an impeachment court, puwede nilang gawin [they can do it] because the impeachment is not part of the legislative calendar na ina-agree-han namin kung kailan kami maga-adjourn at tumigil ng sesyon [that we have agreed upon, on when we will adjourn and end the session],” Defensor explained.

He, however, admitted that their duty as impeachment prosecutors will affect their campaign.

“Kandidato ang mga senador at ang mga congressmen [Some of the senators and congressmen are candidates]. But we agreed that when we filed this impeachment complaint, na kung bubuksan ng senado ang impeachment trial, dapat desidido kaming magpapatuloy ng aming prosecution [that if the Senate opens the impeachment trial, we should we determined in continuing with the prosecution],” he said.

Later on Wednesday, however, the Senate adjourned without tackling the impeachment case, which means the proceedings will only start in June, after the midterm elections.

Defensor added that the impeachment complaint is strong.

“Matatag itong complaint na ito dahil 215 members mismo ang pumirma sa impeachment complaint. At hindi pipirma ang mga yon kung hindi sila kumpiyansa na lulusot ito at mabigat ang ebidensiya kapag nilitis ito sa isang impeachment trial by the Senate,” Defensor added.

(This complaint is robust because 215 members signed it. And they would not sign if they were not confident that the evidence is strong enough to stand up in an impeachment trial by the Senate.) 

He cited as Duterte's pronouncement, in a live broadcast, that she had hired an assassin to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez if she were to be killed.

“That itself is grave and serious enough to constitute betrayal of public trust. Threatening the life of a sitting president, the chief executive, and the commander in chief of the Armed Forces, voted as president by no less than 31 million Filipinos. So mabigat 'yon [that's heavy],” he said.

Defensor also revealed that the House Prosecution Team is scheduled to meet with the House leadership in the coming days to discuss their strategies for the impeachment trial.

According to a report on 24 Oras, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco also said prosection panel could also retain private prosecutors, which was what happened during the trial of former president Joseph Estrada.

Defensor believes that the Senate, as a continuing body, can conduct the impeachment trial even during the recess.

“The senate has continuously 12 elected senators. So buo pa rin sila [They are still complete]. Kung may magkukuwestiyon sa Supreme Court {If the Supreme Court questions] that the impeachment complaint cannot cross over to the next Congress, then it’s up to the Supreme Court,” he said. — BM, GMA Integrated News