Prosecutor urges Senate: Begin impeachment trial of Sara Duterte

An impeachment prosecutor has called on the Senate to convene as an impeachment court and start the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"Baka sakaling magbago ang isip ng Senado and masimulan natin nang mas maaga ang impeachment trial, mas mabuti. Kasi binabato na ang bahay nila. Dapat magtrabaho na tayo, mga idol," impeachment prosecutor and House Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor of the 3rd district of Iloilo told reporters in an online interview.

(It would be better if perhaps the Senate changes its mind and the impeachment trial starts earlier. They are being asked about this. We should get to work.)

"Malaki ang clamor ng mga Pilipino na masimulan 'yung impeachment trial at dapat maging election issue ito sa mga senador. Ito ang ikakapanalo nila kung papanigan nila ang katotohanan at papanigan nilang matuloy na mabuksan itong impeachment trial at mabigyan ng closure ang mga Pilipino," he added.

(Filipinos are clamoring to start the impeachment trial. This should be an election issue for senators. Their stance on this may be the key to their victory, if they push to begin the impeachment trial and provide closure to our countrymen.)

Defensor already voiced to those involved in the prosecution’s preparations for the trial the Article of Impeachment he prefers to handle.

Although he refused to divulge which article, he said all articles were strong.

"Kung ako 'yung papipiliin at 'yun ang matutuloy sa akin (If I were to choose and it does get assigned to me), it's the one that I think will convict. I chose the one that will convict," Defensor added.

When asked how confident he was about getting a conviction, Defensor said "10" on a scale of one to 10.

"I would prefer if she (VP Sara Duterte) will testify. I would prefer. Pero kaya kong matapos 'yung article ko with or without the Vice President (But I can finish handling my article with or without the Vice President)," he added.

The House of Representatives impeached the Vice President last February 5, with 215 lawmakers signing off on the impeachment complaint. The Articles of Impeachment was sent to the Senate during the same day.

Another 25 congressmen later signed the complaint, bringing the total number of endorsers to 240.

'Kung makakapatay tayo'

Meanwhile, Defensor called out the statements of former President Rodrigo Duterte during the February 15 proclamation rally of the PDP-Laban slate about killing senators to ensure victory for his bets.

The elder Duterte said, "Ngayon, marami kasi sila, ano'ng dapat gawin natin? Eh 'di patayin natin 'yung mga senador ngayon para mabakante. Kung makapatay tayo ng mga 15 senador, pasok na tayong lahat."

(There are many of them now. What should we do? Let's kill senators now so there would be vacancies. If we kill 15 senators, all of our candidates would make it.)

Further, the former president said, "Pero kawawa naman. Pero nakakainis kasi. Di naman lahat. Talking of opportunities, the only way to do it is pasabugin na lang natin ‘yang ano."

(That would be harsh. But it's already irritating. Not all of them. If we talk about opportunities, the only way to do it is if we blow off...)

Impeachment trial strategy?

For Defensor, however, the elder Duterte's choice of words is part of the defense strategy for the Vice President's impeachment trial.

"'Yung statement sa kanila galing sa dating Pangulong Presidente Rodrigo [Duterte], dapat makapukaw na sa kanila. Nagsasalita na ang dating President na patayin natin ang mga Senador para may bakante," Defensor told reporters.

(For some Filipinos, statements made by former President Duterte show catch their attention. He spoke about killing senators to create vacancies.)

"Hindi biro iyon. [Mind] conditioning 'yun (kill comments) para ma-normalize ang salitang pagpatay sa isip ng mga Pilipino, kasi magiging depensa nila iyon sa impeachment trial [ng Bise Presidente]. Kaya mag-ingat tayo, huwag tayo papaloko sa mind conditioning," Defensor added.

(Those comments are not jokes. That is mind conditioning aimed at normalizing the use of word 'kill' in the minds of the people, because they will use it as a defense for the Vice President during her trial.)

The Senate, Defensor said, should not let the former President belittle it with such remarks.

No bearing

Sought for comment, former Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, legal counsel of former President Duterte, said his client's statements during the PDP-Laban proclamation rally are immaterial to the impeachment trial of the Vice President. 

"The statement of [former] President Duterte has no bearing, legal or moral, with the impeachment complaint filed against Vice President Sara [Duterte]," Bello told GMA News Online.

The seven Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President accuses her of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption and other high crimes based on the following:

1. conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez;
2. malversation of P612.5 Million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents;
3. bribery and corruption in the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure by handing out cash to former DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado (Procurement Head), Bids and Awards Committee Member Resty Osias, DepEd Chief Accountant Rhunna Catalan and Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda;
4. unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in the Vice President’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth where her wealth increased by four times from 2007 from 2017;
5. involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City;
6. destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder efforts, which include: boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself "designated survivor," leading rallies calling for Marcos' resignation, obstructing congressional investigations by ordering subordinates not to comply with subpoenas, threatening bodily harm against the First Couple and Romualdez, among others;
7. the totality of the Vice President’s conduct as the second highest official of the land.

Senate President Francis Escudero earlier said that the Senate impeachment court can only convene when Congress is in session, so the trial will start when the new 20th Congress resumes session in July.

Congress is not in session due to the ongoing campaign period and the upcoming conduct of the May 2025 midterm polls.

The current 19th Congress will resume session in June 2, but will be just in session for two weeks before it adjourns sine die, marking the end of 19th Congress. — VDV, GMA Integrated News