The House prosecution panel on Thursday, August 20, welcomed Vice President Sara Duterte’s call to expedite the impeachment proceedings, saying both sides share the goal of resolving the case as soon as possible but stressing that speed should not come at the expense of fully presenting evidence.
Speaking during the prosecution panel’s press conference, Atty. Benjamin Jay Tolosa said the prosecution sees no problem with the Vice President’s call to hasten the trial.
“We don't see any problem with that. We are one in the desire to finish this process as soon as possible,” Tolosa said.
However, Tolosa emphasized that the need for a speedy disposition of the impeachment case should not compromise the prosecution’s opportunity to present evidence it considers necessary.
“The speedy disposition of the cases, hindi naman din ibig sabihin yan. Kailangan natin siyang madaliin at the expense of having the opportunity to fully present our case by presenting the evidence that we think are needed,” he said.
Tolosa acknowledged that the proceedings have experienced delays but attributed some of them to circumstances beyond the parties’ control, particularly the recent inclement weather.
He said the prosecution has already taken steps to shorten the proceedings by eliminating witnesses whose testimonies are no longer considered necessary.
“In the grave threats, that's what we did. We dispensed with more than half of our witnesses,” Tolosa said, noting that after presenting three witnesses, the prosecution decided to dispense with around five to six others.
He added that the same approach would be applied to the discussion on the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
“We will not present evidence that they're not absolutely necessary. It will just be cumulative so that the process will be faster,” Tolosa said.
Tolosa, however, also urged the defense team to contribute to efforts to prevent unnecessary delays, citing instances that he said were caused by the defense’s actions or inactions.
He pointed to the defense team’s failure to comply with the presiding officer’s order to meet with the prosecution to compare common exhibits ahead of the testimony of COA State Auditor Xylene Del Campo.
According to Tolosa, the defense was supposed to provide the prosecution with a date for the meeting earlier but only gave one later, which he said contributed to the delay in the proceedings.
“There were many circumstances that caused delay sa paglilitis dahil sa mga actions or inactions ng defense team,” Tolosa said.
The prosecution panel maintained that it is committed to moving the impeachment trial forward efficiently while ensuring that all necessary evidence is properly presented and that both sides are given the opportunity to participate in the proceedings.
The remarks came after Vice President Duterte expressed her desire for the impeachment process to be completed sooner, amid concerns that prolonged proceedings could lead the public to question the allegations against her.
The impeachment trial against Duterte is currently tackling allegations involving the alleged misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds during her tenure as vice president and education secretary.
