Sara Duterte urged to appear in impeachment trial

The House prosecution panel is strongly urging Vice President Sara Duterte to appear in the impeachment trial to answer the allegations against her. House prosecution panel member Ysabel Maria Jorge Zamora-Jornada said Duterte’s presence would allow her to explain her side. “Gusto natin as prosecutors na mag-appear ang ating Vice President, ang ating respondent. Sana po, ang ating public, ayun din ang kagustuhan. Dahil gusto natin siyang humarap, gusto natin siyang sumagot sa mga allegations, charges against her. Dapat lang talaga magpakita siya sa impeachment trial niya,” she told Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday. (As prosecutors, we want our Vice President, our respondent, to appear. Hopefully, that is also what our public wants. Because we want her to face [the court], we want her to answer the allegations and charges against her. She really should show up at her impeachment trial.) On the second day of the impeachment trial last July 7, Duterte arrived at the Senate but to only meet her defense lawyers and later held a brief press conference. Meanwhile, the House prosecution panel will present Zuleika Lopez, the chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, as a witness in the impeachment trial on July 14. House prosecutor and Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor earlier informed the Senate impeachment court of the decision after the defense argued that Lopez’s detention in the House of Representatives and transfer to the Correctional Institute for Women in 2024 prompted Duterte to issue threats against President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and members of his family. But the panel maintained that it has no idea whether Duterte will appear next week, although there were requests from her camp to allow food catering at the Senate. “Wala kaming idea kung pupunta siya. Ang balita lang namin ay nag-inquire sila kung pwede sila magdala ng catering, [refrigerator], coffee maker, the like. Baka pumunta pero we don’t know for certain,” said Rep. Jorge Zamora-Jornada. (We have no idea if she is going to attend. The only news we have is that they inquired if they could bring in catering, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, and the like. She might go, but we don’t know for certain.) The prosecution said Lopez will be testifying on Article 4 of the Articles of Impeachment which accuses the Vice President of culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and contracting betrayed public trust by contracting for the assassination of the President and his family members by making grave threats, and by actively inciting sedition against the republic. —RF, GMA News