Cheyenne Suarez

House prosecutor raises concerns on proposed timeline for VP Duterte impeachment trial

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s proposed timeline of a July 30 start for the impeachment trial could put prosecution evidence and witnesses at risk, a member of the House prosecution panel said Friday.</p><p>“Nirerespeto natin ‘yung ating Senate president… [S]iyempre tinitingnan din po namin ‘yung mga ebidensya na nakalap po namin. Eh ‘yung tampering of evidence, isa po ‘yan. Pangalawa po, ‘yung mga testigo natin… baka mamaya ‘pag tumatagal, medyo marami po d’yan ang matakot,&quot; Manila Rep. Joel Chua, House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability chairperson, said.</p><p>(We respect the Senate president… of course, we are also looking at our evidence… tampering of evidence is a concern. Second, the longer wait could lead to the witnesses getting scared)</p><p>He said the five-month wait could compound witnesses’ fear and anxiety.</p><p>Chua added starting the trial during the 20th Congress — the 19th Congress ends on June 30 — could invite more legal questions on the impeachment proceedings.</p><p>“Gusto natin na matapos na ito, para at least hindi na tayo ma-open sa kung anu-ano pa po mga legal maneuverings na gagawin po ng kabilang kampo.“</p><p>(We want this finished as soon as possible so at least there will be no opening for legal maneuvering by the other side)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/19/sara-duterte-challenges-her-impeachment-at-supreme-court-1053">Sara Duterte seeks to block her impeachment trial</a></div><p>He said the prosecution panel will still discuss whether to formally raise their concerns in writing.</p><p>Not mentioned at the press conference is that there is no guarantee that the composition of the House prosecution panel will remain the same after the May elections.</p><p>Escudero said Thursday that his proposed timetable is based on jurisprudence &quot;which interprets &#x27;forthwith&#x27; to mean &#x27;within reasonable time, which may be a longer or shorter period, according to the circumstances of each particular case&#x27;.&quot;</p><p>The Senate president has also cited the delay between the filing of the first impeachment complaint last December to the transmittal of a fourth complaint to the Senate earlier this month.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/27/escudero-timetable-sees-vp-duterte-impeachment-trial-starting-on-july-30-1419">Escudero timetable sees VP Duterte impeachment trial starting on July 30</a></div><p>“Hindi po natin po pwedeng iparehas ‘yung obligasyon ng Senado at saka ng House. Kasi po, sa House po, para po kami piskal, kami po ang nag-build up ng kaso… ‘Yung isinampa po namin, ito po ay pinag-aralan, ito po ay pinagsama-sama na matitibay po at solid ang mga ebidensya,” Chua said.</p><p>(We cannot compare the obligations of the Senate and House. We are like prosecutors building up a case. What we filed was studied and has solid evidence)</p><p>He claimed that the Senate, which will sit as an impeachment court, has a more “ministerial” task of letting the trial proceed.</p><p>The House of Representatives has formed a secretariat to provide technical and administrative support to its prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/28/house-forms-secretariat-for-vp-sara-impeachment-trial-1359">House forms secretariat for VP Sara impeachment trial</a></div><p>House Secretary General Reginald Velasco issued a six-page memorandum order naming the 134 personnel, who form part of the secretariat.</p><p>They include personnel from key House departments, including the Office of the Secretary General, Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Legislative Operations Department, Legal Affairs Department, and other relevant units.</p><p>The secretariat’s functions will include plenary support, legal research, records management, stenographic transcription, information technology, security, and administrative coordination.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s7vo_txn0G8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s proposed timeline of a July 30 start for the impeachment trial could put prosecution evidence and witnesses at risk, a member of the House prosecution panel said Friday.</p>

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s proposed timeline of a July 30 start for the impeachment trial could put prosecution evidence and witnesses at risk, a member of the House prosecution panel said Friday.