Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro called on the public to pray for members of the House Prosecution Panel to secure a conviction against Vice President Sara Duterte ahead of the upcoming impeachment trial on 6 July.

“Join us as we pray for the conviction of the respondent in this impeachment trial,” the lawmaker said during a mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Quezon City on Thursday, 2 July.

Aside from Luistro, other members of the 11-lawmaker panel were present including Rep. Joel Chua, Rep. Leila de Lima, Rep. Lorenz Defensor, Rep. Ysabel Zamora, and Rep. Kaka Bag-ao. Private prosecutors Atty. Lorna Kapunan and Atty. Marforth Pua also participated in the solemn gathering.

Luistro noted that both the public and private prosecutors alike needed the guidance from the prayers of the people for the tall task ahead of them, acknowledging that they had “limitations” and “imperfections” in their own regard.

“Let me tell you, my dear brothers and sisters, all your prayers overpower them. All your support overpower them. Ultimately, everybody’s love for the Philippine nation overpower whatever limitations the prosecutors have,” she said.

More than just offering support for the prosecution, the solon said that all officials participating deserved to be prayed over as the trial was a measure that granted Filipinos to seek better leaders that would steer the country to the right direction.

“Let us pray even for the defense team. Let us pray for the senator-judges. Let us pray for the entire Philippine nation,” she expressed.

“It is because we believe that Filipinos deserve better leaders. Filipinos deserve a better nation. Filipinos deserve a better republic,” she added.

Presiding over the mass and organizing the gathering were priests from the Clergy of Good Governance (CGG) headed by Fr. Robert Reyes along with Fr. Flavie Villanueva, Fr. Bong Sarabia, and Fr. Joel Saballa.

In the homily of Fr. Melchor David, the religious leader took a quote from the famous movie series in underscoring the importance of constitutional responsibility when it comes to the impeachment.

“The opportunity to do good is all around us. They are not our choices. They are our responsibility. My dear prosecutors. My dear private prosecutors. The whole Filipino people is looking up to you,” David said.

The impeachment against the Vice President is set to take place on Monday, with the pre-trial order being issued last 29 June.

It was indicated in the said document that the prosecution and the defense had a combined total of 92 trial dates. The schedule, however, was said to be subject to change if either parties were to submit a formal request to the impeachment court.