Nag-realign ng toka ang House prosecution panel sa dalawa sa apat na Articles of Impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte, habang iginiit ni lead prosecutor at Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro na kung babaguhin man ang tentative July 6 trial date, dapat itong paagahin at hindi iurong.
Sa press briefing nitong Lunes, sinabi ni Luistro na si Manila Rep. Joel Chua na ang mangunguna sa article tungkol sa umano’y misuse ng P612.5 million confidential funds, habang si Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores ang hahawak sa article tungkol sa umano’y bribery.
Hindi nagbago ang toka sa dalawa pang articles. Si Senior Deputy Majority Leader at Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor pa rin ang lead sa umano’y grave threats, habang si Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon ang mangunguna sa umano’y unexplained wealth.
Sinabi ni Luistro na bukas pa sa pagbabago ang assignments habang inaayos ng prosecution ang trial strategy at ang presentasyon ng ebidensya.
“Hangga’t hindi natatapos ang presentation of evidence, please anticipate that there will be changes in the assignment of prosecutors,” ani Luistro.
“After all, ito po ay the exclusive authority of the prosecution to decide on how we will present our evidence, who to present, what to present, and when to present them,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Luistro, nakatutok ang panel sa paghahanda para sa pre-trial conference, kung saan inaasahang aayusin ang stipulation of facts, listahan ng witnesses, at marking ng documentary exhibits.
“To be specific, kapag sinabi nating pre-trial conference, nagsu-submit tayo ng stipulation of facts, and then we respond whether to admit or to deny the stipulation of the defense team,” sabi niya.
“We also submit the list of the witnesses and we do the marking also of the exhibits which will be very, very helpful to us considering that three out of four articles have voluminous documents to consider,” dagdag ni Luistro.
Tinukoy niya ang confidential funds, bribery, at unexplained wealth articles bilang may mabibigat na dokumentong kailangang ayusin.
Sinabi rin ni Luistro na nauunawaan niya ang pangamba ng ilan na baka maapektuhan ang impeachment calendar ng posibleng pagbabalik ng Senate investigations sa umano’y flood-control corruption.
“Having that kind of experience in the impeachment process, because I was already part of the prosecution team during that time, of course, I cannot remove those apprehensions concerning the current impeachment process,” sabi niya.
Pero sa kabila ng kontrobersiyang kinakaharap ng ilang senador, sinabi ni Luistro na patuloy nilang igagalang ang desisyon ng mga senador-judge.
“So, regardless of the controversies surrounding the members of the majority bloc, I still defer to their judgment insofar as the impeachment trial is concerned,” ani Luistro.
“We express our faith and confidence not only to the members of the majority, but all the senator-judges because we appreciate the fact that if prosecution is a constitutional duty, hearing this impeachment case is likewise a constitutional duty on the part of the senator-judges,” dagdag niya.
Kasabay nito, sinabi ni Luistro na pinatutunayan ng latest OCTA Research Tugon ng Masa survey ang panawagan ng publiko na ituloy ang trial. Sa survey, 74 percent ng adult Filipinos ang pabor na hayaang magpatuloy ang Senate impeachment trial anuman ang maging resulta nito. Nasa 21 percent ang tutol, habang 4 percent ang undecided.
“Well, we welcome that survey; it only validates what we believe is the demand of the Filipino people now,” ani Luistro.
“At nakikita naman natin ‘yun in what is happening around na ang gusto talaga ng taumbayan ay magtuloy-tuloy itong impeachment trial,” dagdag niya.
“And this is what accountability mechanisms are all about.”
Ayon sa OCTA, pinakamataas ang suporta sa Visayas sa 82 percent, kasunod ang National Capital Region sa 81 percent, Balance Luzon sa 77 percent, at Mindanao sa 58 percent.
Sinabi rin ni Luistro na makatutulong ang trial para timbangin ng publiko kung karapat-dapat pa sa tiwala si Duterte sakaling ituloy nito ang pagtakbo sa pagka-presidente sa 2028.
“That is why impeachment trial should happen because considering that she has pronounced already her intention to run for president in 2028, this impeachment trial will help the sovereign Filipino decide whether or not she deserves the faith and confidence of the electorate,” ani Luistro.
Sa tanong kung ang mga alegasyon mismo ay nagbubukas ng tanong sa fitness ni Duterte para sa mas mataas na puwesto, tumanggi si Luistro na magbigay ng hatol habang hindi pa naririnig ang depensa.
“Well, we understand that we’ve been expressing about the strong Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President. I have reservations as far as the defense is concerned,” ani Luistro. “Wala pa tayong nakita, even a single piece of their evidence. Wala pa tayong narinig, even a single response to the allegations of offenses.”
“So, to the question, I cannot answer that until and unless I’ve seen the defense presented by the Vice President.”
“I am not simply motivated; I am bound by my constitutional duty. As I’ve been saying, this is not a question of choice,” dagdag ni Luistro. /Bistado