Walang documentary evidence na tinanggal o ibinasura sa impeachment case laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte habang nagpapatuloy ang pre-trial proceedings sa Senate impeachment court, paglilinaw ni House lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro ng Batangas nitong Lunes.
“As to striking off records, no. That is not supposed to happen during pre-trial conference,” sabi ni Luistro sa press briefing sa Senado.
“By striking off, you are addressing the admissibility of the documentary exhibits, and that is not allowed,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Luistro, hindi proper subject ng pretrial conference ang pagbasura sa documentary exhibits batay sa admissibility. Aniya, ang mga tanong tungkol sa admissibility ng documentary evidence ay tatalakayin lamang kapag pormal nang nagsimula ang impeachment trial proper.
Tumanggi rin si Luistro na talakayin ang detalye ng evidence, witnesses, at stipulations of fact na pinag-uusapan sa pretrial conference dahil sa limitasyon sa pagkomento sa merits ng kaso.
“Please understand that we cannot dwell on the merits of this impeachment trial, and that includes the details on the stipulation of facts, the list of witnesses, and even the marking of documents,” sabi niya.
Inilarawan ni Luistro ang atmosphere sa pretrial conference bilang matindi pero propesyonal, habang parehong nakatutok ang prosecution at defense sa kani-kanilang posisyon.
“The atmosphere is very passionate in the sense that the prosecution is very much committed to prove its case, while the defense is likewise very much committed to prove the innocence of the respondent,” sabi ni Luistro.
Patuloy na tinatapos ng prosecution at defense panels ang marking ng documentary exhibits bago ilabas ng Senate impeachment court ang pretrial order.
Nakatakdang magsimula sa July 6 ang impeachment trial ni Duterte. /Bistado