Metro Manila, Philippines – House justice committee chairperson Jinky Luistro will lead the 11-member panel of prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, while others will present the four Articles of Impeachment.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, May 19, Luistro announced the assignments of the prosecutors per case.
Article I: Misuse of confidential funds
Lead: Jinky Luistro
Members
Joel Chua
Lorenz Defensor
Rodge Gutierrez
Lordan Suan
Keith Flores
Chel Diokno
Terry Ridon
Leila de Lima
Article 2: Unexplained wealth
Lead: Terry Ridon
Members
Chel Diokno
Kaka Bag-Ao
Rodge Gutierrez
Jinky Luistro
Joel Chua
Leila de Lima
Lordan Suan
Keith Flores
Article 3: Bribery of procurement officials
Lead: Joel Chua
Members
Rodge Gutierrez
Kaka Bag-Ao
Bel Zamora
Article 4: Threats to president, destabilization
Lead: Lorenz Defensor
Members
Leila de Lima
Jinky Luistro
Bel Zamora
READ: Breaking down the proposed Articles of Impeachment vs. Duterte
Luistro said more prosecutors were assigned to allegations of confidential funds and unexplained wealth due to the volume of evidence.
Ridon and Defensor, who are leading the charge on unexplained wealth and threats, respectively, said they are confident of the strength of evidence.
“We have been prepared since last year and with a vote of confidence of 257 members of Congress and the evidence being very obvious and very clear. It speaks for itself,” said Defensor.
Ridon noted that his team will still finalize whether they will present as evidence the unsealed box containing the tax records of Duterte and her spouse in the trial.
Chua will lead the presentation of bribery allegations. He said some evidence was already revealed during the hearing of the committee on good government and public accountability, which he chairs.
Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Adiong and Kabataan Rep. Renee Co were named as House trial spokespersons.
Factors in play
Luistro acknowledged that public opinion and evidence are both significant in the impeachment case.
A recent survey showed that 4 in 10 Filipinos said public opinion should be considered in Duterte’s impeachment.
“If you will be able to present strong evidence, therefore you will be able to get a favorable public opinion,” she said.
Luistro added she expects the senator-judges to be impartial and independent in the trial, when asked if the prosecutors are concerned with the leadership change at the Senate, with a number of Duterte-allied senators in the majority.
Meanwhile, Defensor noted that the proliferation of disinformation would be one of the biggest challenges in the upcoming trial.
“Ang fake news at trolls, dapat matigil na ‘yan…dapat ma-overcome din natin ang fake news, dahil hindi natin maaabot ang katotohanan ‘di lang sa impeachment na ito but truth in every day living kung hindi natin ma-overcome ang fake news at mga trolls,” he said.
[Translation: Fake news and trolls must be stopped… we also need to overcome fake news, because we will never reach the truth – not only in this impeachment issue, but truth in everyday living – if we cannot overcome fake news and trolls.]
