Romer Butuyan 
PARA kay Lead prosecutor at House Committee on Justice Chair Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, higit na kailangan ang isang “truth seeker” para magampanan nang tama ang pagiging presiding officer ng Senate impeachment court.
Ayon kay Luistro, higit na matimbang ang isang senador na may layuning lumabas ang katotohanan at masigurong mas mananaig ang mga matitibay na ebidensya kaysa sa iginigiit na legal technicalities.
Kasabay nito, sinabi ni Luistro na umaasa siya na ang usapin ng Senate leadership ay mareresolba na bago ang nakatakdang impeachment trial laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ayon sa lady House lead prosecutor, ang hindi masolusyunan agawan sa pamumuno sa Senado ay maaaring pag-ugatan ng isa pang constitutional challenge.
Subalit sa ginanap na press conference, tiniyak ng lupon ng tagausig na kinikilala ng Kamara ang awtoridad ni acting Senate President Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, na nauna na ring namuno sa ilang impeachment court-related matters.
“For the record, the House of Representatives already recognized the leadership of acting SP Win Gatchalian. As a matter of fact, we articulated already that we will be appealing before the impeachment court initiated by acting SP Win Gatchalian, who nowadays is the one signing the notices in his capacity as presiding officer.”
Nang tanungin naman kung ang isang non-lawyer gaya ni Gatchalian ang mag-preside sa impeachment proceedings, binigyan-diin ni Luistro na wala siyang nakikitang mali dito.
“In all honesty, I don’t see anything wrong about having a presiding officer who is a non-lawyer, like our acting SP, Win Gatchalian,” anang Batangas lawmaker.
“Let us remember that the impeachment trial is not purely a legal process. It is sui generis. In one way, it is constitutional. In another way, it is administrative. And in another way as well, it is legal,” dugtong niya.
Subalit paalala ni Luistro, ang pinakamahalagang responsibilidad ng presiding officer ay matiyak na marinig at makita ng buo ng impeachment court ang mga ilalatag na ebidensya at testigo upang lumabas ng katotohanan, na siya namang dapat maging batayan ng senador-judges sa paghahatol.
“And if we will always be challenged by rules on technicalities, rules on procedure, objections to the evidence which are being presented, it might defeat the purpose of this impeachment trial,” aniya pa.
“Remember that what we are testing here is the fitness of the public official to continue holding office and not the criminal liability. Not the civil liability.”
