The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte is pushing for an outright dismissal of her impeachment because it has no material to disprove the charges against her, according to House prosecution panel spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.
That reading shaped how the prosecution chose to respond. Rather than file a Reply, the panel opted for a manifestation laying out its reasoning. “Pero ang position talaga namin doon, kaya ang House prosecution team nagbigay na lang ng manifestation. Dahil paano mo sagutin ‘yung isang bagay na wala naman talagang sagutin,” Adiong said.
He pointed to what he saw as a mismatch between the volume of Duterte’s submission and its actual aim. “To be honest with you, it’s quite voluminous ‘yung mismo sagot nila. But may gumawa naman din sila ng summary, executive summary ng kanilang mga kasagot,” he said, adding: “Kumbaga kung i-summarize mo, ang gusto lang talaga nila is ma-dismiss ‘yung kaso. Wala sa Constitution na mayroong choice ang Senado na i-dismiss ang kaso.”
Adiong argued that the Constitution does not give the Senate the option of tossing the case before any evidence is heard. Its function, he said, is to conduct a trial and then rule. “Ang choice lang talaga doon is to have a full trial and then reach judgment whether to acquit or to convict. Mahirap mo kasing sagutin din ang isang bagay, ‘yung kanilang naging answer doon, na ang kinu-question nila is ‘yung entire process,” he said.
The objections raised in Duterte’s Answer, in his telling, broke no new ground. The same procedural and constitutional arguments had surfaced repeatedly during the confirmation hearings before the House Committee on Justice.
Returning to his central claim, Adiong framed the dismissal bid as a tell. “Sa palagay ko, the reason why they wanted to dismiss the case, appealing or praying for the court to dismiss the case right away or outright dismissal, it’s because they don’t have anything to offer as a counter evidence to refute the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment,” he stressed.
