House prosecution to read impeachment articles vs Sara Duterte on June 2

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will formally receive the House prosecution panel for Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial on June 2, the same day Congress resumes its session.  

This comes after Senate President Chiz Escudero sent a letter to House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Thursday, May 22, saying the upper house is ready for them. 

As scheduled, the pre-trial proceedings will begin with the prosecutors presenting the articles of impeachment to the Senate which will convene as an impeachment court on June 3. 

Once the court is convened, the Senate could start issuing writ of summons to Duterte. 

The articles of impeachment contain the allegations and evidence to be used against Duterte, who has been accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, as well as high crimes. 

These impeachment charges, if they lead to the vice president’s conviction, would result in her removal from office and disqualification from holding public office again.

The presentation of articles of impeachment, however, is simply a procedural matter where the House-appointed prosecutors will read the articles detailed in the fourth impeachment complaint that ultimately impeached Duterte on February 5. 

Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora (San Juan, Lone District) said in an interview with reporters that the Senate even provided a video as to how the impeachment articles are read in the United States. 

She said the prosecution team is still finalizing how they will present each article, whether they will all be read by a single House prosecutor or divided amongst each other.

Each prosecutor is assigned articles to study and defend during the trial. They are also assisted by private prosecutors. 

Since June 2 is still under the 19th Congress, two of the prosecutors who failed their reelection bids, particularly Rep. Jil Bongalon (Ako Bicol) and Rep. Loreto Acharon (General Santos, Lone District), will still retain their current position and assignment as part of the team. 

They are expected to appear before the Senate, even if they will have to vacate their designations when lawmakers of the 20th Congress assume office on June 30. 

Romualdez already invited former senator Leila De Lima and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno to take their place, following their triumphant bid to serve as party-list representatives. 

Both have accepted the opportunity, but they will have to be appointed by House members before becoming actual lawmaker-prosecutors at the trial. 

The actual trial is scheduled on July 30, just a day after the newly-elected senators take their oath as senator-judges. 

Duterte’s impeachment trial comes down to a numbers game: conviction requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate, while just nine senators voting to acquit would be enough to clear her.

Zamora said the prosecution panel is prepared to bring Duterte to trial, having conducted mock trials and examined witnesses. 

She believes they have gathered enough evidence to make it difficult for senator-judges to vote for an acquittal.