Senate summons VP Sara to trial on July 6

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court has summoned Vice President Sara Duterte to appear at the July 6 start of trial, either in person or through her counsel.

In a July 2 notice signed by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian as presiding officer, the impeachment court informed Duterte that trial will start at 2 p.m. on Monday.

“You are hereby notified that trial will commence on the 6th day of July at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and are further directed to appear on said date, in person or through counsel, before the impeachment court at the Session Hall of the Senate of the Philippines, Pasay City,” the notice read.

A similar notice was signed by Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr., acting as the clerk of court, informing the House of Representatives public prosecution that “the Senate is ready to proceed upon the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte at the Session Hall of the Senate of the Philippines.”

Speaking to radio dzMM yesterday, Bantug said the Monday start of a grueling 92-day trial is a go with the formal issuances of court notices to both parties.

While the prosecution opted not to file their comments to the court-issued pre-trial order, the defense team has submitted their proposed amendments to the document that would lay down the list of witnesses and pieces of evidence.

Bantug said he saw no reason for the defense camp’s move to derail the start of trial.

“For now, I cannot say if the defense’s comments would necessitate or would require a correction of the pre-trial order,” he said.

Formalities like the opening statements of both parties, as well as the entry of appearances of counsels, are expected on Monday, as trial runs until Wednesday weekly before the start of the second regular legislative session.

Trial dates would shift to Tuesdays to Thursdays when session resumes after the State of the Nation Address on July 27.

With the easing of visitor restrictions in the Senate, those hoping to watch the trial personally may register at the Senate Visitor Management System (VMS).

Bantug said there will be 151 seats in the Senate plenary hall – 45 each are allotted for the defense and prosecution guests, the remaining 61 for the general public.

At least 6,000 Philippine National Police officers will secure the Senate complex on Monday, PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said in a news briefing at Camp Crame yesterday.

Duterte faces four Articles of Impeachment regarding the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery within the Department of Education and grave threats directed at President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

Senate caucus

Senators from both majority and minority blocs held an all-member caucus yesterday to discuss their impeachment preparations ahead of the start of trial proper.

Photos shared by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and minority Sen. Robinhood Padilla showed them all smiling for a caucus photo at the Senate lounge.

Besides Zubiri and Padilla, those in attendance were Gatchalian, Senate President Pro Tempore Vicente Sotto III and Senators Panfilo Lacson, JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo, Francis Escudero and Risa Hontiveros.

Only a tight-lipped Tulfo faced the media after the meeting, refusing to divulge details of the caucus.

He said the meeting was held so that both majority and minority would be on the same page about the proceedings.

Tulfo said the plunder charge filed by the ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan against Sen. Rodante Marcoleta was not discussed during the caucus.

He also refused to confirm if the meeting was held to finalize a reported plan to get Escudero elected as the presiding officer when the trial starts on Monday.

Speaking to dzMM yesterday, Tulfo’s brother Sen. Raffy Tulfo said he supports Escudero or another senator-lawyer, Kiko Pangilinan, as presiding officer.

Formalities

Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial will start with procedural formalities rather than explosive testimonies, according to the lead House prosecutor, as the panel challenged the embattled official to squarely face the charges instead of hiding behind legal technicalities.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua, the lead prosecutor handling the alleged P612.5-million confidential funds misuse case, explained that the first day of the 92-day trial will be dedicated to resolving pending motions and delivering opening statements from both camps.

‘Nothing to be afraid of’

Meanwhile, House trial spokesman and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong warned Duterte against elevating the case to the Supreme Court to dismiss the trial outright on a technicality.

He argued that the Senate impeachment court is the proper, constitutional forum for the proceedings.

“If there is a chance that they would do that, that will be only one message to the public: the defense does not want to answer. They have no answer. That’s why they’re using technicalities,” Adiong said in a radio interview.

VP not scared of BIR box

The camp of the Vice President yesterday said it is not afraid of the sealed box containing Duterte’s tax records, as the House prosecution team is expected to move to open the box containing her records submitted by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) during the impeachment trial.

“On the question if we are afraid of the (BIR) box, we are not hiding anything and we are not afraid of the box. We just want to make sure that the law is followed with regards to the BIR documents, and of course, the rights of not only the respondent or the Vice President, but even the private individuals who may be involved in those documents, which are not included in impeachment,” Michael Poa, spokesman for the 16-member legal team of Duterte, said over radio dzBB.

Lawmakers file counter-affidavits

Akbayan Reps. Perci Cendaña and Chel Diokno, along with Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro, have filed their counter-affidavits on the charges filed by Mans Carpio, husband of the Vice President, against them for alleged violation of the bank secrecy and data privacy laws.

Along with the House representatives, Carpio filed a case against the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr., Anti-Money Laundering Council executive director Ronel Buenaventura, after his bank accounts were disclosed during a House committee on justice hearing on the impeachment of his wife.

Later, Security and Exchange Commission chairman Francis Edralin Lim and Insurance Commission commissioner Reynaldo Regalado were added in the case.

At the Quezon City prosecutor’s office, Diokno questioned the charges filed against them, stressing that they were just doing their duty.

“We believe that the case is baseless, but we will leave the decision to the prosecutors. We only did our jobs and duty to the Constitution,” Diokno told reporters. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso, Josiah Antonio