Impeachment case vs. VP Sara Duterte 'very strong' —Neri Colmenares

Bayan Muna chairman Atty. Neri Colmenares on Wednesday expressed belief that the prosecutors in the impending trial of Vice President Sara Duterte still have the upper hand in winning the case against her. 

Colmenares, who stood as Bayan Muna’s counsel in one of the impeachment complaints filed against Duterte, said this in response to a statement of the Vice President on Tuesday that members of her legal team were "more than confident" that they will win the impeachment case filed against her.

“The impeachment complaint, we’re very confident, is very strong. Of course, it’s not surprising for the Vice President to say na malakas din ang kaso niya [that her case is also strong],” he said in a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum. 

“Kagaya ng amin, tingin namin napakalakas kasi betrayal of public trust ang finile ng Bayan Muna. And betrayal of public trust is simply a violation of your oath of office,” he added, citing Duterte's alleged malversation of her offices' multi-million confidential funds.

(We think that the case is very strong because Bayan Muna filed a complaint against Duterte for betrayal of public trust. And betrayal of public trust is simply a violation of your oath of office.) 

Duterte earlier confirmed that she met with her lawyers upon arrival in the Philippines after her weeks-long stay in the Netherlands, but she did not elaborate on their current preparations in her impending impeachment trial. 

She also said that she is “most confident” with the lawyers working on her impeachment case,"

Colmenares, however, believes otherwise. 

“Para sa akin…lamang ang prosecution. Una, malakas ang kaso. Hanggang ngayon, ilang buwan [nakalipas], hindi masagot eh. And I couldn't see any good answer during the trial, wala akong makitang ganon. So malakas ang kaso,” he said. 

(For me the prosecution has the upper hand. First, the case is strong. Until now, a few months after she was impeached, Duterte’s camp still couldn’t provide any answer. And I couldn't see any good answers during the trial itself. So the case is strong.)

The former congressman also said that once the midterm elections are over, lawmakers standing both in the defense and prosecution panel during the trial may have better judgment of the case based on evidence. 

“After elections, there’s no longer that consideration. So that will impact on their decision. ‘Hindi na ako tumatakbo. Either panalo na ako o talo na ako sa eleksyong ito.’ So ang decision mo ngayon should be based on what is on the merits, what is on evidence. At para sa akin, on evidence, napakalakas,” he continued. 

(After elections, there's no longer that consideration. So that will impact their decision. 'I’m not running anymore despite whether I won or lost in the election.' So your decision now should be based on what is on the merits, what is on evidence. And for me, based on evidence, the case is very strong.) 

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. 

The seven Articles of Impeachment against Duterte include:

• Conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez;
• Malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds with questionable liquidation documents;
• Bribery and corruption in the Department of Education (DepEd) during Duterte’s tenure as Education Secretary, involving former DepEd officials;
• Unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), with her wealth reportedly increasing fourfold from 2007 to 2017;
• Involvement in extrajudicial killings in Davao City;
• Destabilization and public disorder efforts, including boycotting the State of the Nation Address (SONA) while declaring herself “designated survivor,” leading rallies calling for Marcos Jr.’s resignation, obstructing congressional investigations, and issuing threats against top officials; and
• The totality of her conduct as Vice President.

Duterte has since filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition with urgent application of temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction before the Supreme Court. 

She asserted that the House committed grave abuse of discretion by "deliberately" freezing action on the first three impeachment complaints, then violated the constitutionally mandated one-year ban when the fourth complaint was signed by the chamber's majority.

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero had said the decision on the impeachment trial of the Vice President can be rendered by October this year.

The commencement of her impeachment trial at the Senate is scheduled for the end of July. —LDF, GMA Integrated News