Romer Butuyan 
KUNG paninindigan ng kampo ni Vice President Sara Duterte ang hindi pagharap sa gagawing ‘mini trial’ ng House Committee on Justice hinggil sa kinakaharap na reklamo, mas maagap na maisasampa ang reklamo sa senado na tatayong impeachment court.
Ibinahagi ni Batangas 2nd District Rep. Atty. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, na tumatayong chairperson ng komite, ang posibilidad na mas mapabilis ang transmittal ng articles of impeachment sa senado.
“If their position is not to participate, then that is tantamount to saying na mata-transmit talaga ito sa Senate because unrebutted ang evidence ng complainant,” wika ni Luistro sa isang panayam.ng lady House panel head sa isang panayam.
“That’s why it’s important for the Vice President to avail of this opportunity in the hearing proper to present her evidence. Otherwise, the evidence of the complainant will appear to be unrebutted, hindi na questioned, hindi na countered, ‘di ba?,” dugtong ng lady solon.
“What is important, we are giving her the opportunity. Whether she attends or not, it will be her choice. It will be her decision. Ang importante for the Justice Committee, we afforded her the right to due process.”
Ayon a kinatawan ng Batangas sa Kamara, ang pagdedeklara ng komite na kapwa ‘sufficient in grounds’ ang ikatlo at ikaapat na impeachment complaints ay bunsod na rin ng paghahain ng bise presidente ng consolidated verified answer ad cautelam na hindi naman direktang sagot sa mga alegasyon.
Kaya naman, mahalaga sana para kay Duterte na sumipot sa gagawing proper hearing ng House justice panel, na aniya’y ‘mini trial’ dahil magkakaroon muli siya ng pagkakataong ilatag ang kanyang panig bago dalhin sa plenaryo ng Kamara at Senado kung kinakailangan ang impeachment raps.
“The purpose of this hearing proper or which I described as a mini-trial is to give opportunity to both parties, the complainant and the respondent, to present their witnesses, to present their evidence so as when we determine the probable cause, the justice members will be guided,” paliwanag pa ni Luistro.
“This is just a proceeding before the Justice Committee, similar to a preliminary investigation by a fiscal in a criminal case where the participation of lawyers is actually not encouraged. Talagang mas maganda na mag-participate ang Vice President for her to be able to present her evidence and her witnesses because this will be considered in the determination by the Justice members of the existence or nonexistence of probable cause. How will she present her evidence if she will not attend and the lawyers are not allowed yet to participate,” diin pa niya.
“And if she doesn’t counter, of course, anong mangyayari dito sa evidence ng complainant, it will be unrebutted. In which case, there’s a possibility na magkaroon ng probable cause because these are unrebutted.”
