The House prosecution panel said on Monday that the forthcoming pre-trial order in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte will serve as the primary guide—or “bible”—for all parties and the impeachment court once the trial begins.
During a press conference on June 23, lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro emphasized the importance of the pre-trial order, noting that it will outline the framework and procedures that will govern the conduct of the impeachment trial.
“So lahat ng nilalaman ng pre-trial order ito yung magiging biblia with respect to the upcoming trial not only for the prosecution and the defense but also for the impeachment court,” Luistro said.
Luistro expressed confidence that the trial will proceed on its scheduled start date of July 6, provided that the pre-trial order is issued before then.
“So as long as ma-issue ang pre-trial order before July 6, I am positive that we will be able to push through with the original schedule for the start of the trial,” she added.
She further explained that the remaining time before the deadline should be sufficient to finalize the order, which she described as crucial to ensuring an orderly and structured impeachment process.
“May next week pa so I don’t think that it will compromise the start of trial on July 6… ang important lang ay maisyu yung pre-trial order before July 6 because this pre-trial order will be the guide for the parties and the impeachment court on how to conduct the trial,” Luistro said.
The House prosecution panel earlier reiterated its readiness to proceed with the impeachment trial, which is expected to formally lay out the charges and evidence against the vice president once the Senate convenes as an impeachment court.
The Senate has yet to issue final procedural announcements, but preparations are ongoing ahead of the anticipated July 6 start date.
