With the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte being inherently a public proceeding, Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz Defensor said one of the biggest challenges facing the prosecution is the spread of trolls and fake news on social media platforms.

Speaking during a press conference with other members of the prosecution team, Defensor said it would be an uphill battle to convince not only the senator-judges, but also the public, that Duterte should be convicted.

“One of the biggest challenges that we face is fake news, trolls na mali ang ikinakalat na balita, maling ebidensya ang binabarena sa utak ng ating mga kababayan (that spread incorrect information and instill wrong evidence in the minds of the public),” he said.

“Ang fake news at trolls dapat matigil na ‘yan (Fake news and trolls should be stopped),” he added.

The lawmaker emphasized that the constitutional process should not be overshadowed by disinformation, particularly since impeachment is a significant step toward ensuring accountability among public officials.

Defensor said it was important to push back against trolls because ensuring that the truth prevails is crucial not only in the impeachment process but also in everyday life.

Confidence in evidence

Despite concerns over the spread of misinformation, Defensor said he remains confident that the evidence against Duterte is sufficient to secure a conviction.

“We are confident with the evidence that we have. The evidence will speak for itself once presented before the Senate impeachment court,” he said.

“We have witnesses to present. We will present our case fully, properly, and in accordance with the rules of the impeachment court,” he added.

The members of the 11-lawmaker prosecution team were assigned roles based on their familiarity with the four articles of impeachment outlined in the report.

Defensor was assigned as lead prosecutor for the article concerning Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

He was also assigned as one of the assistant prosecutors handling the issue of confidential funds under the lead of Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro.