The House prosecution panel is approaching its preparations for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte with the same intensity as law graduates reviewing for the bar examinations, according to the team’s leader.
Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville Luistro shared that the panel members, who are all lawyers, are currently deep in rigorous study and strategy sessions to build an airtight case.
“All of us are lawyers, so medyo familiar naman kaming lahat sa pinagdaanan namin. Natatawa nalang kami on what is happening to us because apparently talagang para kaming mga law students na bumalik sa review ng Bar,” Luistro said in a radio interview.
All of us are lawyers, so we are all quite familiar with what we went through. We just laugh at what is happening to us because apparently, we are really like law students returning to the Bar review.
Luistro, designated to lead the prosecution, revealed that the panel is currently finalizing its lineup of witnesses, compiling documentary and video evidence, and mapping out presentation strategies for each of the four Articles of Impeachment.
She noted that members are meticulously revisiting courtroom procedures and the rules on evidence, especially since several lawmakers have limited experience in active trial practice.
Despite the heavy legal preparation, Luistro clarified that an impeachment trial is not a purely technical legal exercise.
She argued that the framers of the Constitution deliberately gave this authority to Congress instead of the courts to ensure a more flexible search for facts.
“Ito ay purposely ginawang liberal because of the importance of the subject matter of the impeachment proceedings. Of course, the importance of it is we are trying to test the fitness of the highest official of the land,” Luistro explained.
This was purposely made liberal because of the importance of the subject matter of the impeachment proceedings. Of course, the importance of it is we are trying to test the fitness of the highest official of the land.
She further emphasized that the political nature of the legislature allows for a broader evaluation of the public trust.
“Ang sabi ko nga in one of my opening statements if indeed the intention of the framers of the Constitution is to make it purely legal, sana binigay nalang sa judiciary, pero hindi. Ibinigay ito sa lehislatura, and in our case, we are the representatives of the people because the intention really is to make it liberal so as to ferret out the truth,” she added.
As I said in one of my opening statements, if indeed the intention of the framers of the Constitution is to make it purely legal, they should have just given it to the judiciary, but they didn’t. It was given to the legislature, and in our case, we are the representatives of the people because the intention really is to make it liberal so as to ferret out the truth.
The formidable House prosecution panel comprises a mix of district and party-list representatives, including Terry Ridon (Bicol Saro), Rodge Gutierrez (1-Rider), Ysabel Maria Zamora (San Juan City), Lorenz Defensor (Iloilo Province), Chel Diokno (Akbayan), Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal), Kaka Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Keith Flores (Bukidnon), Lordan Suan (Cagayan de Oro City), and Joel Chua (Manila).