11-member House prosecution panel to present impeachment grounds vs. Sara Duterte

House Committee on Public Accounts Chair Terry Ridon confirmed the schedule of presentation for the grounds of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte for next Monday at the Senate.

“On the arrival of Monday, what was mentioned earlier is correct—the entire 11-person House Prosecution Panel will go to the Senate at 3:00 in the afternoon on 18 May to witness the opening of the Senate Impeachment Court,” he said.

Speaking at the Saturday News Forum, Ridon noted the panel’s presence in the Senate is intended as a show of respect to the upper chamber and to follow the constitutional process.

He added that while the House’s role on the first day is limited, it is important for the prosecution panel to formally witness the opening of the impeachment proceedings.

“We are expecting that the Senate Impeachment Court will truly convene on that day and that the trial of our Vice President will finally begin,” Ridon said.

The prosecutor panel itself said that the 257-member House vote to impeach Duterte and elevate the case to the Senate was carried out through a majority decision of the House of Representatives.

Other members of the House prosecution panel include Rep. Gerville Luistro (Batangas 2nd District), Rep. Joel Chua (Manila’s 3rd District”, Rep. Leila de Lima (Mamamayang Liberal Party-list), Rep. Ramon Rodriguez (1-Rider Party-list), Rep. Ysabel Zamora (San Juan City lone district),  Rep. Lorenz Defensor (loilo’s 3rd District), Rep. Chel Diokno (Akbayan Partylist),  Rep. Arlene Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands Lone Distrcit), Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (Bukidnon’s 2nd District), Rep. Lordan Suan (Cagayan de Oro’s 1st District).

As Ridon explained, each of these panel prosecutors have assigned impeachment grounds against the Vice President including threats, unexplained wealth, bribery, and confidential funds misuse.