The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Members of the House prosecution panel on Thursday welcomed Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s announcement that the Senate will formally convene as an impeachment court on May 18 (today) for the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Terry Ridon, chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts and one of the 11 prosecutors elected by the House of Representatives of the Philippines, said the panel is prepared to attend the opening of the impeachment proceedings.
“Nagpapasalamat po ang House Prosecution Panel sa pagbanggit po ni Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano na iku-convene na po ang Senate Impeachment Court laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte sa darating na May 18,” Ridon said in a statement.
“Maaasahan din po na ‘yon pong kabuuan ng House Prosecution Panel ay magpupunta rin po dito po sa araw na ito para saksihan ‘yon pong pag-convene ng Senate Impeachment Court,” he added.
Under the Constitution, the Senate is required to immediately convene as an impeachment court once the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted by the House.
The House formally transmitted the complaint to the Senate Wednesday night, two days after 257 lawmakers voted in favor of impeaching Duterte, while 25 voted against and nine abstained.
The 11-member prosecution panel is composed of lawmakers with legal and litigation backgrounds from both the majority and minority blocs. Aside from Ridon, the panel includes Joel Chua, Leila de Lima, Gerville Luistro, Chel Diokno, Ysabel Maria Zamora, Lordan Suan, Jonathan Keith Flores, Lorenz Defensor, Rodge Gutierrez, and Kaka Bag-ao.
House leaders earlier described the team as a “powerhouse” prosecution panel tasked with presenting the impeachment case while upholding due process.
The Articles of Impeachment accuse Duterte of allegedly misusing PHP612.5 million in confidential funds, amassing unexplained wealth, involvement in bribery concerning Department of Education officials, and issuing grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.