The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte has responded to recent statements made by House prosecutors regarding a sealed Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) box presented during the impeachment pre-trial, stressing that only the Impeachment Court has the authority to rule on motions concerning the evidence.
In a statement issued in response to media queries on remarks by House prosecution panel spokesperson Rep. Zia Adiong, defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said it is premature to draw conclusions while the defense has yet to formally respond to the prosecution's motion.
"First and foremost, it must be emphasized that the Clerk of Court does not have the authority to rule on any motion made by either of the parties. Such matters are solely for the Impeachment Court to resolve," Poa said.
He also underscored that the defense has not yet filed its comment on the prosecution's manifestation/motion and should be allowed to present its position before public conclusions are made.
"More importantly, we have yet to comment on the Prosecution's Manifestation/Motion, and we believe it is only proper that the Defense be given the opportunity to do so before conclusions are drawn in public," Poa added.
The statement came after House prosecutors defended the marking of the sealed BIR box during the impeachment pre-trial proceedings. They argued that the marking of exhibits is a standard procedural step and not yet the stage where the court determines the admissibility of evidence.
Rep. Zia Adiong earlier described the BIR box as a key piece of potential evidence related to the allegation of unexplained wealth cited in the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Duterte. He also questioned the defense's objection to the marking of the exhibit, saying the prosecution should be allowed to identify and preserve its evidence in accordance with impeachment rules.
The defense, however, maintained that issues involving the prosecution's motions and objections must be resolved by the Impeachment Court itself and not through public statements, reiterating that it has yet to formally present its arguments before the tribunal.
The impeachment proceedings remain in the pre-trial stage, where both the prosecution and defense continue to identify and mark documentary evidence before the court determines their admissibility during the formal trial.
