MANILA, Philippines – Nagdesisyon si Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero nitong Miyerkules, Hulyo 29 na dapat munang tapusin ang presentasyon ng mga ebidensya ng prosekusyon bago maglatag ng depensa ang kampo ni Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ang desisyong ito ay tugon ni Escudero sa suhestyon ni Senador Bam Aquino IV sa implementasyon ng pagpresenta ng ebidensya sa bahagi ng prosekusyon at depensa batay sa ‘per Article of impeachment basis’ sa halip na tapusin muna ng prosekusyon ang lahat ng presentasyon ng ebidensya nito sa lahat ng apat na Articles of impeachment bago bigyan ng pagkakataon ang defense team na kontrahin ito.
Tinukoy ni Escudero ang desisyon nito sa 2012 impeachment trial ni dating Chief Justice Renato Corona, ang tanging impeachment trial na umabot sa verdict day, at sa kondisyon na ang Senate impeachment court ay papayag sa suhestyon ni Aquino kasama ang prosekusyon at depensa.
“Sometime last week, the presiding officer, based on some of the suggestions by some of the senator judges, called for a sidebar with the lead prosecutor and the lead counsel for respondent to throw a question at them if they’re open to changing the procedure to the one suggested in open court by Senator Bam Aquino,” ani Escudero.
“However, subject to one condition, that both parties should be agreeable. We are in receipt of a manifestation from the panel of prosecutors and the response of the respondents, wherein it is clear based on your written manifestations that there is no agreement between the two parties,” dagdag pa niya.
“Therefore, we shall proceed as originally ruled by the chair [that we finish the presentation of the prosecution’s evidence first]. We shall finish with the presentation of the evidence in chief of the prosecutors for all of the articles of impeachment that they will not withdraw, I’m saying that only because of the Corona impeachment experience we had wherein some Articles [of Impeachment] were withdrawn by the prosecution,” paliwanag ni Escudero.
Matapos na ilatag ng prosekusyon ang kaso nito, sinabi ni Escudero na ang Senate impeachment court “will hear the evidence in chief of the respondent for all the Articles of Impeachment that presented by the prosecution.” RNT/JGC
