Disagreements but no tension during pre-trial meeting, says Sara Duterte's lawyer

There were disagreements during the pre-trial conference of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte but there were no tensions during the meeting, Duterte’s legal team said on Thursday.

Michael Poa, one of Duterte’s lawyers, said the pre-trial conference that began earlier in the day was “a good session.”

“So I think it was a good session. Hindi naman nagkainitan, normal naman ‘yan sa trial… May mga disagreements, but even then, I think it was good because both parties were able to settle differences para mapadali, ayun naman ang gusto nating lahat,” he told reporters.

(So I think it was a good session. There were no heated moments, that’s normal in a trial… There were disagreements, but even then, I think it was good because both parties were able to settle differences to expedite it, and that’s what we all want.)

In a separate interview, Poa said they had finished marking the documentary evidence for two of the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.

"Meron tayong dalawang Articles na marami talaga mga dokumento. So, yan yung ina-anticipate natin na either end of the Monday or baka abutin pa tayo ng Tuesday. Hindi ko masabi talaga sa ngayon," he said.

(We have two Articles of Impeachment that have voluminous documents. So we're anticipating that we will finish either by Monday or Tuesday. We cannot say anything definite right now.)

Poa said the defense team and the House prosecutors are set to resume the pre-trial brief on Monday, June 22 at 9 a.m. While they have yet to finish marking the documentary evidence, the lawyer said, they remain on track for the start of the impeachment trial.

"Parati kong sinasabi na kung kinakailangan but sa ngayon, hindi pa natin masasabi kung kailan yun. Kung mangyayari, kung kailan yun," he said.

(Like what I am always saying, VP will attend if needed but when wil that happen? We're not sure.)

"Meron naman tayong open line with the Vice President. Pinaguusapan namin lahat," he added.

(We have an open line with the Vice President. We discuss everything.)

The pre-trial conference is the initial gathering of both panels before the senator-judges formally convene the impeachment court on July 6.

Duterte was impeached by the House in May. She is accused of culpable violation of the 1987 Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery and other high crimes.

It may be recalled that on May 18, the Senate convened as an impeachment court.

On June 1, Duterte’s camp filed their answer to the Articles of Impeachment and asked it to junk the impeachment case against her. — with Sundy Locus/JMA/BM, GMA News