The legal defense team for Vice President Sara Duterte has brushed off remarks made by Lanao del Sur 1st District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong concerning an ongoing impeachment trial issue involving a contested “BIR box,” calling his statements premature.
Atty. Michael Poa, speaking on behalf of the Vice President’s defense camp on Friday, June 26, reminded the public of the strict procedural boundaries governing the trial.
He clarified that administrative personnel, such as the Clerk of Court, do not possess the judicial power to decide on motions submitted by the prosecution or defense.
“First and foremost, it must be emphasized that the Clerk of Court does not have the authority to rule on any motion made by either of the parties,” Poa stated. “Such matters are solely for the Impeachment Court to resolve,” he added.
The defense issued the statement following media queries regarding Adiong’s public commentary on how the defense might handle a specific Manifestation and Motion lodged by the prosecution. Poa stressed that drawing conclusions in the public sphere is highly improper, especially since the defense has not yet been afforded its procedural right to submit a formal reply.
“More importantly, we have yet to comment on the Prosecution’s Manifestation/Motion, and we believe it is only proper that the Defense be given the opportunity to do so before conclusions are drawn in public,” Poa noted.
The defense team chose not to reveal the actual contents of the disputed “BIR box” or elaborate on the specifics of the prosecution’s motion.
Instead, they emphasized that fairness and order can only be maintained if all legal disputes are resolved strictly through the established protocols of the Impeachment Court, rather than through media speculation.