MANILA, Philippines – Kinondena ng legal spokesperson ng House Prosecution panel ang umano’y fake news na ipinakalat ng defense team ni Vice President Sara Duterte.
Sinita ni Atty. Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa, Jr. ang pahayag ng defense panel na ang private prosecutors lamang ang nasa pagmamarka ng ebidensya at ang public prosecutor ay humarap lamang ng umaga.
“Well, first of all, to state in the record, we don’t appreciate the fact that there’s a member of the defense team spreading lies about what’s actually going on in this pre-trial conference, including the pre-marking of evidence,” ani Tolosa.
“So, I think it’s, everyone has seen this, numerous members of the public prosecutors have been attending the pre-marking conference, not just last Thursday, but even throughout this week. So ayaw na ho namin sanang patulan pa itong mga pag-spread pa po ng fake news so we could go on to discuss more substantive matters.”
Itinanggi rin ni Tolosa ang pahayag ng defense team na ang House Prosecution Panel ay ‘undermanned.’
“That’s not correct. In fact, yung issue na yon that they didn’t have enough personnel, that came from the defense noong Monday. So, yan ho, sa kanila ho nanggaling yan. They admitted that they lacked necessary personnel to accommodate yung gustong arrangement with respect to how many marking teams there will be para simultaneously, sabay-sabay na mangyari yan,” ani Tolosa.
“But patuloy naman ho, even today, we have sufficient manpower and we have sufficient personnel, legal personnel there working on it para ma-maximize itong binigay sa atin na additional na mga marking teams,” dagdag pa nito.
Itinanggi rin ni House Impeachment Trial spokesperson Representative Renee Co ng Kabataan Party-list ang mga sinabi ng defense team na umaga lamang dumalo ang public prosecutors para sa pagmamarka ng ebidensya.
“Well, that’s not true. Our private and public prosecutors have been present at all dates of the pre-trial conference. Ang remarkably absent po ay si VP Sara Duterte. We mentioned this before, but she said that she is ready and willing to appear at the proper court to face these charges. Up until now, we’re waiting. So, sa atin, ahead of the July 6 trial, sana po maipakita ni VP Sara Duterte yung kanyang readiness and willingness na hanapin yung mga charges na ito,” sinabi ni Co sa isang panayam.
Wala rin umanong problema na dumalo sa pagmamarka ng ebidensya ang mga private prosecutor.
“Ang mga private prosecutors can be authorized representatives. Very valid na sila nandiyan. In fact, kaya nga po marami sila para po sa nitty-gritty, lalo na of the logistics, ay nariyan sila. And ang kanilang expertise on trial ay magamit para po sa pagsisilbi nang the original complaints from citizens, they see their day in court. So, kaya ready and prepared ang public prosecutors, private prosecutors na gawin yung trabaho nila para po yung impeachment process matapos hanggang dulo with in line sa principles ng due process and accountability,” dagdag ni Co.
Ani Co, ang paggigiit ng defense team na magkaroon ng sariling pagmamarka para sa common exhibits ay nagpapaantala lamang sa pag-usad ng proseso.
“Nakita na nag-i-insist yung defense na kaysa isa lang yung marking for two sets of evidence na pareho naman yung laman, nagi-insist sila na separate marking sila. That is delaying the process, actually. And so for us, we’re asking the Impeachment Court, in our prayers, if will be directed, that there is just one consolidated marking for the similar, hindi lang similar, parehong evidence from both parties,” paliwanag pa ni Co. RNT/JGC
