Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - If Vice President Sara Duterte wants a “speedy” impeachment trial, it will be good to relay it to her defense team, according to House Prosecution Counsel and spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr.He noted that some “actions or inactions” of Duterte’s defense team led to “delays” in the proceedings.“Kung pareho kami ng kagustuhan pala, maganda din na iparating ito sa kanyang defense team. Dahil maaalala natin, madaming circumstances na nag-cause ng delay sa paglilitis, dahil sa mga actions or inactions ng defense team,” Tolosa said.“Tulad for example, nung hindi nila pagtalima doon sa kautusan ng presiding officer na makipagkita sa amin to compare common exhibits before the intended testimony of Ms. Xylene Del Campo na dapat ‘yan Lunes. Ang ibinibigay nilang petsa sa amin ay Biyernes, which unavoidably resulted to delay. So maganda kung pare-pareho naming susubukan na maka-iwas na gumawa ng anumang bagay na magko-cause ng unnecessary delay,” he added.The prosecution backs a speedy trial and has in fact been trimming down its witness list to avoid redundancies, according to Tolosa.“Kaisa kami sa kagustuhan na matapos natin itong proseso na ito sa lalong mabilis na panahon. (01:07PM) Doon sa grave threats… we dispensed with more than half of our witnesses. After presenting three, we dispensed with I think five to six, when we saw that there&#x27;s no more need for them… Pati dito sa usapin ng confidential funds, ganyan din ang gagawin namin. We will not present evidence that are not absolutely necessary, and we&#x27;ll just be cumulative para mapabilis din ang proseso,” he said.Asked whether the prosecution will still call Duterte’s alleged bagman, Ramil Madriaga, to the stand regarding the article accusing the Vice President of confidential fund misuse, Tolosa said it is under “continuing discussion and deliberation.”“‘Yung decision namin on who are the witnesses that we&#x27;ll present, this is based on our assessment of the targets that we need to still meet, evidentiary targets to be specific, and it will not be based on press conference rhetorics,” he explained.On Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Duterte’s statement “speedy trial does not mean speedy surrender to a predetermined narrative,” Tolosa said if it implies that the impeachment case against his sister, the Vice President, has already been prejudged, it may be perceived as an “attack” on the impeachment court.“I&#x27;m not sure if that&#x27;s what he meant. But if that’s the message that he&#x27;s trying to give, that this has been prejudged already,then that&#x27;s dangerous… because that could be an attack against the integrity of the court… Interested parties shouldn&#x27;t say that mukhang may decision na dito ang impeachment court. Again, we have to respect the institution and maliwanag, may pagkakaton ang magkabilang panig, magpresenta ng ebidensya para ang senator-judges ay makapagbigay ng hatol batay sa mga ebidensya na ito,” Tolosa expained.House Prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, meanwhile, believes the “personal attacks” on House Prosecution Counsel Atty. Lorna Kapunan are proof that she is doing her job well.On Wednesday, Rep. Duterte, told Kapunan to “stop being a Maritess in the impeachment,” after she linked the Vice President and former President Duterte to a “culture of violence” in the country. &quot;Maritess&quot; is a Filipino slang for a person who loves to gossip.“Kaya ata nila sini-single out ngayon si Atty. Kapunan kasi talagang magaling siya. She was able to elicit information from the witnesses that strengthened the case against the Vice President. Personal attacks, saying na “Maritess,” would not help not only the case of the defense, but it will not help the entirety of the proceedings,” Adiong said.

If Vice President Sara Duterte wants a “speedy” impeachment trial, it will be good to relay it to her defense team, according to House Prosecution Counsel and spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

If Vice President Sara Duterte wants a “speedy” impeachment trial, it will be good to relay it to her defense team, according to House Prosecution Counsel and spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

House prosecution: Sara Duterte should relay to defense team hope for speedy trial

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House prosecution: Sara Duterte should relay to defense team hope for speedy trial

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 21, 2026 12:27 AM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

impeachment trial

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