MANILA: The first day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial will be devoted to procedural matters, with no witnesses scheduled to take the stand, former Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, impeachment prosecution panel adviser, said on Sunday (July 5).
According to a statement he released, the Senate impeachment court will deliberate on rules and procedures, including the entry of appearance of lawyers, how Duterte will plead, and the resolution of preliminary legal issues before evidence is presented.
“There will be no witnesses tomorrow, no presentation of evidence,” he said in Filipino. “The first day is meant to ensure that the rules are clear and that the trial proceeds in an orderly manner.”
“The Filipino people should expect the Senate impeachment court to first establish the legal framework that will govern the entire trial. That is how any orderly judicial proceeding begins,” he added.
Duterte’s trial, set to open on Monday (July 6), will set the stage for a protracted debate over allegations that have long dogged her, ranging from corruption and constitutional violations that have cast a shadow over her political future.
Duterte is accused of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds, ordering the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, and encouraging education department officials to skirt procurement rules through bribes.
She also faces allegations of amassing unexplained wealth, fueled by alleged inconsistencies between her net worth statements, which show she had tens of millions of pesos, and an Anti-Money Laundering Council report indicating billions had coursed through her accounts over the past two decades.
“The prosecution is ready,” Barbers said. “Our evidence is prepared, our witnesses are prepared, and we are prepared to follow whatever procedural directions the Impeachment Court may issue.”
He added that the impeachment trial is not a “debate competition,” stressing that arguments should not be measured by soundbites that merely appeal to the ear.
“This is not a debate competition, nor a contest for soundbites. The true measure of this case will be the evidence presented and the decision of the impeachment court based on the Constitution and the facts,” said Barbers. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
