Members of the House Prosecution Panel maintained on Monday, June 29, that they will oppose any attempt to exclude evidence related to the alleged assassination threats made by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez during the upcoming impeachment trial.
During a press conference, prosecutors stressed that Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which covers allegations involving the contracting of an assassin and grave threats, deserves full presentation before the impeachment court despite the Vice President's assertion that her previous remarks were protected under the constitutional right to freedom of speech.
House prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Partylist Rep. Leila de Lima warned that accepting such a defense without examining the evidence could create a dangerous precedent for public officials.
"Anyone can just be blurting out all of those threatening words and remarks from a high official at that time. And it's a high official, it happens to be the second-highest official of the land, uttering and making those threatening statements against the highest official. So ano na po mangyayari? Anybody can just do that? And then paano po yan?" De Lima said.
She emphasized that the prosecution has the legal right to present its evidence and prove its allegations before the impeachment court.
"Trial po tayo. So kailangan payagan ang pagpresenta ng mga evidence para ilatag yung facts for the consideration of the impeachment court. At para malaman, makita, marinig ng sambayan ng Pilipino... But again, karapatan ng prosecution to prove its case against the Vice President," she added.
Meanwhile, House prosecutor and Akbayan Partylist Rep. Chel Diokno described discussions on the Vice President's constitutional defense as premature, saying the impeachment court should first hear directly from Duterte herself.
"Tingin ko premature na i-consider ng impeachment court yung sinasabing ang depensa na yan. Para sa akin, dapat haharap muna si Vice Presidente. At dapat manggaling mismo sa bibig niya sa harapan ng court kung ano yung nasa isip niya nung sinabi niya yung mga salitang yun," Diokno said.
The House prosecution panel reiterated that impeachment proceedings are designed to determine the facts through the presentation of evidence and witness testimony, arguing that constitutional defenses should be weighed only after both sides have fully presented their cases.
As preparations for the impeachment trial continue, the issue surrounding Vice President Duterte's controversial statements is expected to remain one of the most closely watched and heavily contested aspects of the proceedings, with both legal and political implications likely to shape the outcome of the historic case.
