House prosecutors reject Robin Padilla's 'one-sided' claims in impeachment trial

The House prosecution panel on Thursday rejected claims that it was being “one-sided” in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying its role is to pursue accountability based on the evidence presented before the Senate impeachment court.

“Ang totoo naman, hindi one-sided ang prosecution kasi magkaiba ang treatment sa mga witnesses at sa ating mga kagalang-galang na senator-judges na may kinakaharap na usapin,” said House prosecutor Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon

(Truthfully, the prosecution is not one-sided because witnesses and our honorable senator-judges who are facing separate issues are treated differently.)

Ridon's response came after Padilla posted on Facebook that “justice is neutral,” saying prosecutors should not seek to win cases but instead pursue the truth and protect the innocent, while defense lawyers ensure the protection of rights.

Ridon explained that the discussion during Wednesday’s impeachment proceedings centered on whether pending criminal cases affect the qualification of witnesses to testify and whether the same standard applies to senator-judges, not on the vote threshold for conviction.

He explained that a pending case may affect the credibility of a witness but does not automatically disqualify a person from testifying.

“Kahit may conviction ang isang tao, puwede pa rin siyang iupo sa witness stand kung siya ay particular na saksi sa pangyayari,” Ridon said.

(Even a person with a conviction may still take the witness stand if he or she personally witnessed the incident.)

Ridon added that the participation of senator-judges in the impeachment proceedings is a separate matter that ultimately falls within the jurisdiction of the Senate impeachment court and the courts handling their respective cases.

Evidence

Addressing Padilla’s statement that prosecutors should "not aim to win,” Ridon maintained that the prosecution’s objective is anchored on the evidence supporting the Articles of Impeachment.

“Ang posisyon namin diyan nakabatay sa malakas na ebidensiya ang Articles of Impeachment na ito. So we’re on the side of the truth,” he said.

(Our position is based on the strong evidence supporting these Articles of Impeachment. We are on the side of the truth.)

Ridon added that while the impeachment process is adversarial, its purpose is to determine accountability.

“Sa dulo’t dulo, meron talagang mananaig, merong mananalo, merong matatalo,” he added.

(At the end of the day, one side will prevail, one side will win, and one side will lose.)

Deputy Minority Leader and Dinagat Islands Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao, meanwhile, said the impeachment proceedings highlight the higher standard of accountability expected from the country’s highest public officials.

“Kapag mataas ang opisyal natin, mataas ang inaasahan nating level ng pananagutan,” Bag-ao said.

(When an official occupies a high position, the public naturally expects a higher level of accountability.)

She added that the proceedings have helped clarify the principle of public accountability.

“Naipapakita naman sa mga katanungan na nalilinaw ang accountability at dapat naiintindihan din ng mamamayan ang pananagutan niya bilang opisyal ng lipunan,” she said.

(The questions raised during the proceedings help clarify accountability, and the public should understand the responsibility that comes with holding public office.)

House prosecution counsel Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. also said the panel recognizes the defense’s right to conduct a “full and searching cross-examination” as part of due process, adding that it is now up to the Senate impeachment court to weigh the evidence presented by both sides. —VAL, GMA News