Ping, Risa vow to remain neutral as defense set to present counter-evidence vs Sara
Senators allied with the majority have vowed to remain impartial in the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte, as the ball is now in the defense’s court.
In separate radio interviews on Sunday, Senator Ping Lacson and Senator Risa Hontiveros underscored the need to weigh the defense’s counter-evidence as carefully as the prosecution’s before the Senate impeachment court hands down the verdict, tentatively eyed for mid-December.
Lacson believes the trial can conclude before Congress goes on a holiday break without compromising due process.
Hontiveros claimed she will give the same attention to the witnesses and evidence the defense presents, “just like what I gave in the prosecution.”
Similarly, Lacson said that even before the defense gets its turn, he has been rigorously reviewing its rebuttals to the prosecution's evidence.
While Hontiveros rejected claims that some of their colleagues have already decided whether to convict or acquit Duterte, dismissing it as “premature,” Lacson stressed that he cannot blame critics for accusing some senator-judges of bias or of acting in favor of the VP.
“I wouldn’t disagree, because it’s quite evident from their line of questioning and manifestations that some of them have already formed a decision,” Lacson remarked.
However, he maintained that he remains impartial and undecided, saying he is committed to listening to the defense’s evidence before reaching his final verdict.
The prosecution has repeatedly questioned the neutrality of some senator-judges, whom they called obviously “lawyering” for Duterte.
Malacañang also aired the same concern. Earlier, Palace press officer Claire Castro reminded Senate members to refrain from cross-examining witnesses and to stick to unbiased questions.
She stopped short of naming names, but her remarks followed Senator-judge Imee Marcos’ insistence that liability for the flagged P612.5 million in confidential funds under Duterte’s watch in the OVP and the DepEd should fall on her special disbursing officers because Duterte was not the payee of the cash advances.
Malacañang viewed Marcos’ line of questioning as biased, arguing that it suggests clearing Duterte of any liability and is inappropriate for a senator-judge who will decide the VP's fate.
A conviction carries a penalty of removal from office and perpetual disqualification from holding one, which could derail Duterte's presidential bid in the 2028 elections.