Prosecutors tinokahan sa pagsasakdal kay VP

HANDA, organisado at determinado. Ganito ang paglalarawan ng mga kongresistang bahagi ng prosecution panel na inatasan magsakdal kay Vice President Sara Duterte.

Bilang patunay, pinaghati-hatian na mga 11-member prosecution panel ang asignatura alinsunod sa Articles of Impeachment na isinumite ng Kamara sa Senado na tatayong impeachment court.

Sa isang puling-balitaan, partikular na tinukoy ni lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro kung sino-sino ang mamumuno sa pagdepensa sa bawat reklamo at batayan ng pagsasakdal sa pangalawang pangulo.

Inilahad din ni Luistro kung papaano hinati-hati ang responsibilidad sa paglalatag ng four articles of impeachment sa inaabangang Senate trial.

Para sa Article 1 kung saan pinaratangan si Duterte ng culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust dahil sa maling paggamit ng P500 million in confidential funds ng Office of the Vice President (OVP) at P112.5 million in confidential funds ng Department of Education (DepEd), ito’y pamamahalaan Luistro kasama sina Manila Rep. Joel Chua bilang second lead, Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, at Cagayan de Oro Rep. Lordan Suan.

“For confidential funds, we wish to express our confidence in proving this article, establishing the guilt of the respondent. We have seen the evidence already. As a matter of fact as early as during the 19th congress, during the inquiry in aid of legislation of the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability,” wika ni Luistro.

Si Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, na chairman ng House public accounts committee, ang siyang itinalagang lead para sa Article II, na nalalaman ng reklamong culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust bunsod ng pagkakaroon umano ni Duterte ng unexplained wealth, hindi tamang pagdedeklara ng Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs) nito at kabiguang mag-divest ng kanyang business interests habang siya ay nasa posisyon.

Makakatuwang ni Ridon sa Article II si Diokno bilang second lead, gayundin sina Luistro, De Lima, Chua, Flores, Gutierrez, Suan, at Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao.

“Given the entirety of the body of evidence we have seen, tingin ko naman po on unexplained wealth pa lang po, we can secure a conviction of the vice president,” sambit ni Ridon.

Kaugnay naman ng Article III kung saan nahaharap ang bise presidente sa kasong bribery, graft and corruption, at culpable violation of the Constitution matapos umanong pagbibigyan ng monetary gifts ang ilang high-ranking DepEd officials official, sina House Committee on Justice Vice Chairperson at San Juan City Rep. Ysabel “Bel” Zamora, Chua, Gutierrez, at Bag-ao ang silang natokahan. Si Chua ang lead at Gutierrez naman ang second lead.

“With respect to the article regarding the bribery, ito naman po nakita na natin during the committee hearing of the Good Government in the 19th congress. And ito rin po yung magiging presentation natin,” ani Chua.

“But of course, since the impeachment court had already convened, we are barred from discussing about the merits. But rest assured, everything will be according kung ano man ang plan at legal strategies,” dagdag ng Manila lawmaker.

Sa panghuli, ang Article IV na tumutukoy sa culpable violation of the Constitution, high crimes, and betrayal of public trust laban kay Duterte, si Defensor ang tatayong lead at second lead si De Lima, habang bahagi rin nito sina Luistro at Zamora.

May kinalaman ang reklamong ito sa grave threat o pagtatangka sa buhay nina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, at former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, na ginawa ng bise presidente.

“We are very confident in the evidence that we have. We have been prepared since last year and with a vote of confidence of 257 members of Congress and the evidence being very obvious and very clear. It speaks for itself,” pagbibigay-diin ni Defensor.

“We have witnesses to present and we are certain once the evidence is presented in the senate impeachment court, we can secure a conviction even for this article alone,” dugtong ng Iloilo solon.

Samantala, tinukoy din ni Luistro sina House Assistant Majority Leader Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del Sur) at Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co bilang spokespersons.

Lubos naman pasasalamat ni Adiong sa pagkakatalaga sa kanya bilang tagapagsalita ng House prosecution panel, kasabay ng pahayag ng kahandaan gampanan ang responsibilidad.

“I am deeply honored and profoundly humbled to accept my appointment as one of the House Trial Spokespersons.”