Former lawmaker joins prosecution panel in VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial

MANILA, Philippines — A chance to contribute towards ensuring rule of law and protecting the 1987 Constitution were the factors that convinced him to help the prosecution panel for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, former Surigao del Norte lawmaker Robert Ace Barbers said on Wednesday. In an online interview, Barbers was asked if there were consultations between him and his political party, Nacionalista Party (NP), before he took on the role of impeachment advisor and spokesperson for the prosecution panel. Barbers said there was none, noting that his decision to help the prosecution panel is not new — noting that he has been assisting the panel during the 19th Congress, when Duterte was first impeached last February 5, 2025. “Actually we did not have consultations with the party about this. I was asked if I could help, and of course I’ve been more than willing to help, if you recall, even in the last Congress, I was tapped by the leadership to help do what is right,” he told reporters covering the House of Representatives. “For me, if there’s any way I can help to ensure that the rule of law is followed, is respected, to have due process for the accused and the accuser, and most of all, fulfill the provisions in the Constitution, I would participate,” he noted. “These are the three very important points which made me, which convinced me to join this after the invitation was sent to me,” he added. When asked if his decision to help the prosecution is reflective of NP’s stand regarding the impeachment, Barbers said NP has nothing to with it, adding that they were given the independence to speak on national issues based on their own views. “No, the party has nothing to do with this decision. We enjoy independence even if we’re a member of a political party. We are given that privilege to express our opinions and take a stance on issues of national importance based on our own opinion and own conclusion,” he said. “So that is what’s good because the Nacionalista Party members are independent,” he explained. NP has not released any statement regarding the impeachment, but several of its key members have been perceived as aligned with the Dutertes. Senator Camille Villar, daughter of long-time NP member and current President Manny Villar, was endorsed by Vice President Duterte during the 2025 midterm elections. NP member Senator Imee Marcos, despite being the sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has chosen to side with the vice president on several occasions that the two camps clashed. Another Villar child, NP secretary general and Senator Mark Villar, was the Public Works Secretary of Duterte’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. In the House, 257 lawmakers — an overwhelming majority of members — voted to impeach Duterte for a second time, allowing the chamber to adopt House Resolution (HR) No. 989 which contains the Articles of Impeachment. Only 25 members voted against it, while nine abstained. READ: Impeached anew: House OKs articles vs Sara Duterte again with 257 votes Like most political parties in the House, NP did not vote as a bloc as well, with several members being among those who either abstained or did not participate in voting like Taguig-Pateros Rep. Ricardo Cruz Jr. and Davao Oriental Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang. Some of NP’s members also voted in favor of the impeachment, like Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona, and Deputy Speaker Yevgeny Emano. LOOK: How your congressman voted in Sara Duterte impeachment case Barbers played a key role during the 19th Congress, as he was head of the House committee on dangerous drugs, and later on was assigned as lead presiding officer of the quad committee — the four panels that investigated matters related to the Duterte administration’s drug war and links to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos). From August 2024 to early 2025, the quad committee conducted hearings based on a resolution asking the committee on dangerous drugs, the committee on public order and safety, the committee on public accounts, and the committee on human rights to jointly investigate the illegal drug trade, its links to Pogos, and allegations of reward money being given to cops who kill drug suspects. During one of the hearings, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV appeared to accuse the Dutertes of receiving money from suspected drug lords. The same claim and evidence were presented during the committee on justice’s clarificatory hearings on the impeachment complaints against Duterte. Furthermore, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) confirmed that 19 randomly picked financial transactions of the vice president, as listed in Trillanes’ affidavit, were part of monetary movements monitored by the council. When asked if the inclusion of Trillanes’ affidavit as evidence for unexplained wealth allegations against the vice president was a vindication for the quad committee, Barbers agreed. “Yes, that’s correct. So what’s important now is for the truth to come out, especially in the issue revealed by former Senator Trillanes that the Duterte family supposedly received money from an alleged drug lord. This should be proven through evidence and during the trial,” Barbers said. “This should be proven to show that it is not made-up information, and that we have evidence enough to convince our senator-judges — that these allegations in the Articles of Impeachment are true,” he added. Aside from the unexplained wealth claims, the Articles of Impeachment were hinged on Duterte’s alleged misuse of confidential funds lodged within DepEd and Office of the Vice President, bribery of DepEd officials using monetary gifts or payments, and threats to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and the former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Last June 9, the Senate Impeachment Court issued a notice inviting the parties to the pretrial conference which started last June 18. The pretrial conference was concluded last Thursday, with both parties finishing with the marking of evidence READ: Senate impeachment court OKs 92 trial days, 17 shared witnesses Trial begins on July 6 at 2 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays until July 27. After that, the trial shall begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until its termination. /apl