House prosecutor: Important for Filipinos to understand, watch impeachment trial

The House Prosecution Panel on Tuesday said they are ready for the start of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, with one of the members saying he hopes Filipinos will respect and follow the impeachment process.

The trial is set to begin on on Monday, July 6. The date was mentioned in the pre-trial order released by the Senate Impeachment Court to the House Prosecution Panel and the vice president's defense team yesterday.

"Handa po tayo at gagalangin natin ang proseso. Sana galangin din ng bawat Pilipino ang ating impeachment court," House Impeachment Prosecutor Representative Lorenz Defensor said in an ambush interview at the House of Representatives today.

(We are ready and we will respect the process. We hope every Filipino will respect the impeachment court.)

The pre-trial order also stated that Filipino and English will be used during the trial.

"Dapat maintindihan ng bawat Pilipino ang nangyayari sa impeachment trial. Dapat maintindihan nila ang ebidensya at ang mga diskusyon at ang mga debate. Dapat maintindihan nila kung ano ang sinasabi ng ating mga senator-judges. The impeachment is one of the highest forms of inquest at dapat maintindihan ng Pilipino kasi kasama sila sa paghusga nito," Defensor said.

(Every Filipino should understand what is happening at the impeachment trial. They must understand the evidence and the discussions and the debates. They must understand what the senator-judges are saying. The impeachment is one of the highest forms of inquest and all Filipinos must understand because they are part of judging it.)

In an online interview, another House Impeachment Prosecutor, Bicol Saro Representative Terry Ridon, said that the prosecution is very ready for the trial to begin.

"So ito pong susunod pong mga araw, ito po ay paghanda doon sa unang araw at paghanda po doon sa presentation po ng mga witnesses sa susunod pong linggo. So yan po yung mga pinipinal na po ng prosecution panel sa linggo pong ito," House Impeachment Prosecutor Representative Terry Ridon said in an online interview today.

(So in these next few days we will be preparing for the first day and the presentation of witnesses the next week. That is what the prosecution is finalizing this week.)

The pre-trial order, which contains the schedule for the trial, the list of witnesses and exhibits, and other matters, will serve as the guide for holding the impeachment trial.

"Malaking bagay yon para malinaw sa korte kung anong mga bagay na napagkasundaan ng mga partido, kung ano ang mga exhibits na namarkahan, at mga testigo," Defensor said.

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