A lawmaker said that until the House prosecution team has presented the evidence backing the articles of impeachment, it is a premature assumption to believe a majority of the senator-judges of the impeachment court will vote in favor of Vice President Sara Duterte’s acquittal.
In a report by RH 12 Milky Rigonan, Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro, a member of the 11-man prosecution team, said it is too early to tell whether the impeachment court will rule in favor of the defense, despite its decision to remand the articles of impeachment.
Eighteen senator-judges voted to remand or toss back the articles of impeachment to the House of Representative’s court, while five vetoed the motion.
“(Huwag nating) isipin o sabihin na ‘yung boto kahapon, ay ‘yun na rin ang magiging boto sa impeachment case, sapagat wala pa po ni isang ebidensyang naiilalatag ang prosekusyon. Until and unless we are done with the presentation of all the evidence, I think that’s the time we begin to think, ‘Ano kaya ang magiging boto ng ating mga senator-judges?’” Luistro said.
(Let us not think or say that the vote yesterday will also be the vote for the impeachment case itself, as not a single piece of evidence has been laid by the prosecution. When we are done with the presentation of all evidence, I think that’s the time we can begin to think, “What might be the senator-judges’ vote?”)
In response to the Senate impeachment court’s order to send back the articles of impeachment, the House prosecution panel said the matter was not clear to them. Hence, they simply sought clarification and did not intend to defy the Senate.
Luistro added it was also too early to consider calling on the Supreme Court’s support.
Earlier, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the House of Representatives is “in no place to defy the orders of the impeachment court,” and called on the lower chamber of Congress to respect the Senate’s decision.
