Manila: The House of Representatives prosecution panel said Thursday Vice President Sara Duterte should be the one called out for allegedly undermining the integrity of the Senate impeachment court through her repeated public statements questioning the impeachment proceedings. House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Renee Co of the Kabataan party-list made the statement as the Senate impeachment court prepares to rule on alleged violations of Rule 18, which bars parties from making public comments or disclosures on the merits of a pending impeachment trial. Presiding Judge Francis 'Chiz' Escudero is expected to issue the ruling on Monday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Co emphasized that if there is anyone the impeachment court should call out, it is Vice President Sara Duterte. Co's remarks came in response to Duterte's public statements, which have accused the impeachment process of 'bending the law.' Such statements, Co argued, are particularly troubling as they come from the respondent herself. The lawmaker further highlighted Duterte's official statement on the fourth day of the impeachment trial, where the Vice President alleged that the evidence against her had been fabricated and described the proceedings as a waste of public resources. Co stressed that the tribunal must protect its authority and enforce its rules equally against all parties.
Lawyer Benjamin Tolosa Jr., counsel and spokesperson for the House prosecution panel, stated that while parties to a case may criticize what happens during proceedings, they should not attack the integrity of the court itself. He suggested that Duterte should raise her objections before the impeachment court directly. House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno of Akbayan party-list added that the sub judice rule should be applied fairly and does not prohibit factual reporting on what transpires during a hearing or reasonable explanations of legal principles. Diokno called for the Senate's impeachment rules to be applied in an even-handed manner, asserting that consistency in applying the rule would be tested as the trial progresses.
Tolosa noted that the sub judice rule covers not only lawyers but also the parties themselves, including the respondent, and that an attack on the court's integrity could potentially amount to contemptuous conduct. Co acknowledged Duterte's right to defend herself but insisted that neither the Vice President nor her lawyers should have any special privilege to undermine the tribunal.
