The House prosecution panel is awaiting the issuance of a pre-trial order from the Senate impeachment court following the completion of the pre-trial conference for the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Pre-trial order to set parameters
House Trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Representative Zia Alonto Adiong said the order will summarize the matters discussed during the pre-trial and establish the guidelines and parameters for the trial, which is scheduled to begin on July 6. According to Adiong, the pre-trial order aims to clarify which stipulations of fact have been accepted by both sides, streamlining the process and allowing the trial to focus only on contested issues.
Unresolved matters for the court
Adiong clarified that unresolved issues and requests from both camps will be referred to the Senate impeachment court, as Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr. does not have the authority to decide on disputed pleadings or evidence. “That will be a summation—what the court’s directive will be, what the parameters will be, what is accepted, what will be included—for the guidance of both panels, the prosecution and the defense,” Adiong said.
