House trial spokespersons Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur and Renee Louise Co of Kabataan Party-list on Monday said the prosecution will not be intimidated by political pressure or claims that Vice President Sara Z. Duterte has many supporters, stressing that the impeachment trial is a constitutional process meant to answer long-standing public questions.

In a press conference at the Senate, Adiong said the prosecution cannot give in to pressure because doing so would reinforce a culture of impunity.

“Pag ako ay nag-give in sa ganyang pressure, para na rin (If I give in to that kind of pressure, it’s like) reinforcing the culture of impunity,” Adiong said. “Sinasabi natin dito, ang ating Constitution ang tinatayuan natin (What we are saying here is that the Constitution is our foundation.”

Adiong said fear of losing political capital should not shake the House prosecution team.

“Regardless of the political pressure or the fear of risking political capital, hindi tayo dapat matinag sa ganoon (we should not be shaken by that),” he said.

He said the trial is the moment to show that the Constitution serves the people’s interest.

The fear of political backlash should never drive the prosecution’s work, he added.

“We should not fear the possible effects politically,” Adiong said. “That should not be the primary consideration of the House prosecution team.”

Adiong said the prosecution’s duty is constitutional: present the case before the Senate impeachment court and allow the process to move forward.

“Our primary consideration should be in line with our primordial constitutional duty as far as the impeachment is concerned to initiate and then to present the case before the impeachment court,” Adiong said.

Meanwhile, Co said the trial should benefit everyone, including Duterte, her supporters, and Filipinos seeking answers to the Articles of Impeachment.

“Everyone will benefit from this trial dahil lahat tayo deserve na malaman yung mga sagot sa tanong na matagal nang nabinbin (because everyone deserves to know the answers to the long-pending questions),” Co said.

“So, whether it is VP Sara, her supporters, everyone that wants to answer these burning questions, dapat po tumutok tayo sa paglilitis na ito (we need to focus on this trial),” Co said. “Let the evidence speak, let them have their day in court. Let these questions be answered.” (PNA)