“There is also nothing in Rule 9 that requires the reading of a 23-page Articles of Impeachment, which will be a waste of judicial time.” ~Attorney Sheila Sison (Defense Counsel)
House Prosecutor Gerville Luistro and Defense Counsel Sheila Sison faced off over reading the impeachment charges against Vice President Sara Duterte. Before opening statements began, Luistro moved to read all four articles and take individual pleas.
However, Sison challenged the surprise motion and questioned if prosecution wanted an unauthorized pre-trial arraignment. Consequently, Presiding Officer Chiz Escudero intervened quickly to stop direct sparring inside the Senate court.
Waste of Judicial Time
To support her request, Luistro cited Senate rules to justify reading the twenty-three page document. Furthermore, Luistro argued that reading each charge upholds due process for the Filipino people.
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In response, Sison asked for the legal basis and called the request a “waste of judicial time”. She emphasized that Vice President Duterte already satisfied trial rules by filing a formal answer through counsel.
Escudero Denies Prosecution Motion
During the heated debate, Escudero instructed both attorneys to address the Chair instead of arguing directly. Subsequently, Escudero ruled on the prosecution motion and formally denied the request to read the charges.
He explained that Senate records already spread the charges when summons was officially served. Additionally, Escudero stated that reading each article occurs later when senators cast their final votes.
Following the ruling, Escudero recognized Luistro to deliver the prosecution’s fifteen-minute opening statement. In her speech, Luistro declared that “public office is a public trust” while outlining four core allegations.
Four Articles of Impeachment
The four Articles of Impeachment presented by the prosecution against Vice President Sara Duterte are:
- Confidential Funds: Alleged irregularities in the disbursement, transfer, and liquidation of over ₱612 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
- Unexplained Wealth: Unaccounted financial transactions involving billions of pesos associated with the Vice President and her husband.
- Bribery and Corruption: Allegations of graft, bribery, and corruption through the distribution of cash payments and monetary gifts to officials under her supervision.
- Threat Against Constitutional Order: Culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust stemming from public statements and conduct threatening constitutional democracy.
Afterward, Sheila Sison prepared to present the defense statement for Vice President Sara Duterte. Ultimately, the Senate court proceeded with trial proceedings under the cold neutrality of the Presiding Officer.
