Senate Ready for VP Sara's Impeachment Trial

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is ready for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with all necessary preparations in place should she decide to attend the proceedings on its opening day. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian assured the public that security and logistical arrangements are complete, including coordination with the police. "Under the rules, she can just send a lawyer and even a representative. Inviting her is part of the process. But we’re preparing for everything. If our Vice President is going to the Senate, we are prepared and we have already coordinated with the police," Gatchalian told radio dzBB. The first day of the trial is expected to tackle preliminary matters, such as opening statements from the prosecution and defense, and issues arising from the pre-trial conference. The actual trial, which involves presenting witnesses and evidence, will begin on July 7, according to Gatchalian. He anticipates that all senator-judges, except for detained Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and fugitive Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, will be present. Gatchalian, who will preside over the impeachment court, also mentioned preparations for contingencies, including the possible arrest of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who faces plunder charges, and protest rallies outside the Senate. The Senate aims to ensure the proceedings are fully and easily understood by the public by simplifying the process and providing explanations in layman's terms. Senator Bam Aquino proposed that all evidence presented during the impeachment trial be made publicly accessible. He intends to file a motion to release all evidence during the first week of the trial, stating that impeaching an elected official is a rigorous constitutional process that requires a two-thirds vote and reverses the voters' mandate. The House prosecution panel expressed its complete readiness, calling the opening day "the first day toward the truth." House prosecution spokesman Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong clarified that the initial session would focus on legal formalities and resolving pending matters. These include requests to permit public and private prosecutors to examine witnesses, formalize the dual use of English and Filipino, and unseal a Bureau of Internal Revenue box containing tax records linked to allegations of unexplained wealth. Following these preliminaries, the prosecution will move to present its witnesses, focusing on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution for making grave threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez. The prosecution has submitted its initial witness list for the first three hearing days, including National Bureau of Investigation officials and a Legislative Security Bureau executive director. Lead prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua emphasized that the focus should be on what can be proven through records, documents, and testimonies. Meanwhile, the Tindig Pilipinas coalition staged a symbolic relay of the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte, urging the Senate to hold her accountable. The protest caravan, dubbed "Lakbay Pananagutan," made stops at various government offices before reaching the Department of Education. "We remain hopeful because it took a hard fight to reach this point. But we are only cautiously optimistic because many things can still happen in the Senate. What is important is that we continue presenting the evidence and demanding accountability from Vice President Sara Duterte," said Tindig Pilipinas co-convenor Kiko Aquino-Dee. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Mark Ernest Villeza