Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante on Saturday said he believes public trust in Vice President Sara Duterte has declined, arguing that Filipinos are increasingly basing their views on the evidence presented in the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
“Ako naniniwala ako na the Vice President is not as popular as before. Naniniwala ako na nakita na ng taong bayan ang nangyayari. And I think that they are deciding. They are actually looking now for evidence,” Abante said at a news forum in Quezon City.
Abante cited a survey showing that more than 50% of the public is now focused on examining the evidence presented in the impeachment proceedings, stressing the importance of allowing the trial to continue so that the truth can be revealed.
He said the public should be given the opportunity to assess the evidence and decide "what is proper and right."
“Dapat tingnan nga na maigi na kapag tinuloy pa natin ito [impeachment] at makita ng taong bayan ang mga nangyayari... I think that the people of this country will decide on what is proper and what is right,” he said.
Abante also stressed that the impeachment process should not be reduced to an “exercise of politics,” urging the senator-judges to carefully consider the evidence presented before them.
“Sinasabi ko, sana hindi maging exercise of politics ito [impeachment],” he said.
He further called on the senator-judges to avoid what he described as “political cataracts” or blinders that could prevent them from objectively examining the evidence.
“Dapat ito, makita na ng taong bayan, makita na ng impeachment court mismo. Itong ebidensya, ito, nakalatag sa inyo na huwag sanang magkaroon ng blinders o na tinatawag natin political cataract ang mga senator-judges tungkol diyan na hindi nila makita ang pieces of evidence na ipinesent,” Abante emphasized.
