Adiong: Duterte trial meant to uphold public accountability
VICE President Sara Duterte sits beneath the weight of history as the Senate opens her impeachment trial, a constitutional reckoning that could reshape the country’s political landscape.
Daily TribuneVICE President Sara Duterte sits beneath the weight of history as the Senate opens her impeachment trial, a constitutional reckoning that could reshape the country’s political landscape.
House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong stated that the ongoing impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte was intended not only to prosecute a high-ranking public official but also to set the standard for the country's leaders.
Adiong stressed that the goal was meant to serve the public interest, saying that good leadership protects public trust and ensures that all Filipinos are served regardless of their political beliefs.
“This is for our country because we are setting the standard for the conduct of a public officer building on the trust that was given by voters, a public trust that should be protected,” the solon said during an interview on DZRH.
He said the people deserve leaders who are “respectful” and “decent” while also being focused on actions that could improve the lives of every Filipino.
The call came after the Senate impeachment court completed its first week of the prosecution's presentation of evidence, during which the Vice President's infamous press conference on 23 November 2024 was authenticated and played before the court.
In the video, Duterte uttered verbal threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, an act that the defense claimed was “conditional,” arguing that their client was also allegedly being threatened under what they called “Oplan Romanoff.”
With the trial well underway, Adiong also called on the public to remain tuned in to the discussions and deliberations during the proceedings, urging people to refrain from engaging in personal attacks against those involved in the trial.
“Let us focus on what actually happens during the impeachment trial. Let us avoid sticking to information that merely aims to personally attack the people that we see on a daily basis during the impeachment trial,” he said.
“We have to set a higher standard in terms of national discourse and public discourse because we have the right to know the accusations and to listen to the evidence of the prosecution,” he added.
The solon likewise encouraged Filipinos, both locally and overseas, to tune in to what he described as a “historic” trial against the country's second-highest official.
The ongoing impeachment trial against Duterte marks the second time Articles of Impeachment have been transmitted to the Senate against her, with the first occurring during the 19th Congress.
Aside from the impeachment article on verbal threats, the Vice President has also been charged with committing impeachable offenses through her alleged unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential funds, and bribery involving officials of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Duterte physically appeared before the Senate on Tuesday, 7 July, for the first time during the second impeachment process, where she briefly conferred with her defense counsel before leaving ahead of the start of the trial.
The proceedings are set to resume on Monday, 13 July, when the prosecution is scheduled to present its second witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc.