Manila: House impeachment lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro of Batangas and House prosecutor Joel Chua of Manila announced efforts to expedite the marking of extensive documentary evidence in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte. In a press conference at the House of Representatives, they provided updates on the pre-trial conference, focusing on the marking of exhibits and procedural preparations for the July 6 trial.
According to Philippines News Agency, Luistro stressed the immediate challenge posed by the significant volume of documentary exhibits, particularly those associated with the confidential funds article. She expressed concerns over whether the marking of exhibits could be completed by Thursday under the current setup. To address these concerns, the prosecution has engaged with Senate officials to explore measures that could accelerate the process, maintaining the original timeline for the trial's commencement.
Currently, four teams are involved in marking exhibits, with one team dedicated to unexplained wealth and three to confidential funds. Despite this arrangement, both private and public prosecutors involved have expressed doubts about completing the work by Thursday. Chua mentioned that the prosecution is considering expanding the number of teams and extending the marking process to additional days, including Friday and Saturday, pending Senate approval.
Luistro highlighted that documents related to Department of Education payments amount to approximately 1,900, while those concerning the Office of the Vice President exceed 2,000. The process is further delayed as the defense insists on its own markings, necessitating a comparison before marking. Beyond exhibit marking, the prosecution team is also deliberating on several issues that might be presented before the impeachment court. These include the potential disclosure of witnesses three days prior to their presentation, the involvement of both public and private prosecutors in witness presentations, and the early opening of the BIR box, subject to court approval.
Luistro indicated that the prosecution team is finalizing its stance on these matters and may file a manifestation shortly.
