2 out, 1 uncertain: House prosecution team in flux ahead of VP Sara impeachment trial

Eight of the 11-member prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte are on the verge of retaining their seats in the House of Representatives after holding a significant lead over their challengers in the congressional race.

General Santos Rep. Loreto Acharon and Ako Bicol Rep. Angelo Bongalon have lost their bid for a House seat in the 12 May elections, while 1-Rider Rep. Ramon Gutierrez is lagging behind with 0.93 percent or 381,356 votes.

The law states that only partylists securing at least 2 percent of the total vote share are entitled to one seat in the House. But other groups that didn’t reach the threshold may still be awarded seats to comprise the required 20 percent reserved for partylists, with the remaining 80 percent coming from congressional districts.

This suggests that Gutierrez still has a chance, albeit slim, to return to the House and still be part of the House prosecution team in Duterte’s looming impeachment.

Acharon lost the congressional race to his sole opponent, returning lawmaker Shirlyn Bañas, with a wide margin, securing 163,551 votes while the incumbent congressman only obtained 92,771 votes.

Having received 27,326 votes, Bongalon conceded defeat to Krisel Lagman, the daughter of the late seasoned legislator Edcel Lagman, who secured 36,451 votes.

Meanwhile, Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan were sure to win their bids with 131,925 and 191,043 votes, respectively, having run unopposed, or with no contenders.

4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan is also expected to retain his seat after mustering a staggering 1.2 million votes, ranking 4th among 156 groups. Libanan’s 4Ps surpassed the 2-percent threshold, having secured 3.50 percent and potentially earning more than one seat in the lower chamber.

Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, meanwhile, secured a landslide victory of 162,687 votes over his lone contender Thelma Langusta, who obtained only 2,237 votes.

Bukidnon Rep. Keith Flores also won by a substantial margin of 134,175 votes over his opponent Bernardo Mendoza, who got only 26,419 votes.

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro also edged out returning lawmaker Ranie Abu, garnering a total of 86,167 votes. Luistro succeeded Abu, who received 54,156 votes in 2022 after the latter became term-limited for holding the office for three consecutive terms or a total of nine years.

Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Chua defeated his rookie challenger, Apple Nieto, with a narrow margin of 42,219 votes — a 1,243 lead over Nieto’s 40,976.

San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora secured a victory over her sole challenger, Jana Ejercito, garnering 33,775 votes, more than double Ejercito’s 16,869.

The loss of two prosecutors — Acharon and Bongalon — signals a setback for the upcoming impeachment trial of the Vice President in July, especially with the new set of senators winning the 12 May polls, including her key allies, Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and the incoming Rodante Marcoleta.

The three pro-Duterte senators, who ran under former President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban, maintained strong leads in the Magic 12, securing first, third, and sixth spots respectively.

Another sitting ally is Senator Robin Padilla.

Senator Imee Marcos, another ally of the VP, is also poised to enter the Magic 12, while Camille Villar — who was adopted at the last minute by PDP-Laban — is currently likely to win a Senate seat, currently holding the 10th spot.

A two-thirds vote, or the equivalent of 16 of the 24 sitting senators, is needed to convict VP Duterte of allegedly committing an impeachable offense, including graft and corruption. If convicted, she will be permanently disqualified from holding any public office, including her alleged ambition to succeed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2028 elections.

Prior to the elections, the House prosecution was reportedly 80 percent ready, with a group of “experienced” and “veteran” private litigators expected to volunteer to help in Duterte’s trial.

Nonetheless, despite their unsuccessful re-election bid, Acharon and Bongalon could still be part of the prosecution as private prosecutors.