The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said House private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan should formally raise before the impeachment court her concerns over Duterte’s recent remarks questioning the integrity of the Philippine judiciary.
Defense spokesperson Atty. Justin Nicol Gular said Kapunan was entitled to her opinion that Duterte’s statements over the weekend could violate the sub judice rule, but stressed that the impeachment court was the proper forum to address the matter.
“If Atty. Kapunan sees it that way, she’s entitled to say that,” Gular said during a defense press conference after the 22nd day of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“But if she thinks this has any relation to the impeachment, again, as I’ve mentioned before, the proper forum and the proper manner by which is by formally raising it in the impeachment court,” he added.
Kapunan earlier said Duterte’s remarks could constitute a violation of the sub judice rule governing the impeachment proceedings.
“She’s attacking all the institutions and I think this is a matter of grave concern,” Kapunan said.
She also said the prosecution would continue presenting evidence in the impeachment trial despite Duterte’s statements.
Kapunan said the prosecution did not intend to have Duterte cited in contempt, saying, “It is not up for us to do that.”
The response came after Duterte made the remarks over the weekend while speaking to reporters and her lawyers.
“I do not feel safe, I really do not feel safe. I don’t trust the court, I don’t trust the police,” Duterte said.
Gular said it would be difficult for him to determine whether Duterte was referring to the impeachment court or another court when she made the remarks.
“I could not possibly answer you what was in the mind of the vice president when she said that statement. I am not her spokesperson. I am the spokesperson of the defense,” Gular said.
He was responding to Kapunan’s earlier characterization that Duterte was attacking an institution, after the prosecutor was asked whether the vice president could have been referring only to a lower court, such as a regional trial court.
Gular said Duterte was entitled to make statements based on what she meant, while Kapunan and the prosecution were likewise free to interpret them.
“I think the vice president is entitled to say whatever she meant. On the other hand naman, I also couldn’t really construe what was in the mind of Atty. Kapunan,” he said.
Gular added that the defense respected Kapunan’s position and would leave it to the prosecution to decide whether to formally raise the issue before the impeachment court.
