The House prosecution team would cooperate with the Senate impeachment court in expediting the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Lawyer Jay Tolosa, House prosecution panel legal spokesperson, made the statement Monday in reaction to the court’s desire, articulated by Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson over the weekend, to speed up the trial.
In a press briefing, Tolosa said that though the impeachment court gave the prosecution 11 days to prove the grave threats made by the Vice President against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., “we hear the sentiment of some of the senator-judges that it will be better to abbreviate the proceedings.”
He said the prosecution, like senator-judges, wants the trial to be finished as soon as possible.
“Kami din naman gusto din naman namin itong matapos sa lalong madaling panahon. Ayaw naman namin tong patagalin unnecessarily (We also want to finish this in the soonest possible time. We don’t want to drag this unnecessarily), but of course without sacrificing our ability to properly, efficiently, and effectively present the evidence,” he said.
After every hearing, he said the prosecution team meets to assess and make necessary adjustments.
Tolosa added that some witnesses may no longer be called if their intended testimony has already been covered by earlier witnesses.
“So, we will make adjustments, maaring ibang witnesses na listed sa aming pre-trial brief ang hindi namin ipatawag kung anong intended testimony nila ay natalakay na nang mga naunang testigo dahil iyan din naman ang goal natin kung maaaring mas mapa-igsi, mapabilis natin itong paglilitis na ito (some witnesses listed in our pretrial brief may no longer be called if their intended testimony has already been discussed by preceding witnesses. Because that’s also our goal, to make the proceedings shorter and faster). We will try to do that,” he stressed.
Asked about Lacson’s warning that the trial might extend up to the Christmas season if it were not expedited, Tolosa reiterated the prosecution’s intention to cooperate with the impeachment court.
“We will work for it, in making sure that this could be expedited again to the extent reasonably possible. Syempre hindi din naman pinag-uusapan itong pabilisan, ang importante rin naman dito mailatag ng mabuti ang ebidensya dahil napaka-seryoso ang pinag-uusapan natin na mga charges dito (Of course, the issue here is not a speed contest, it is also important to properly present the evidence because the charges here are very serious),” he said.
“So, at the same time, we are cognizant of the fact na gusto natin pare-pareho mas matapos ito ng mas madaling panahon. So, susubukan ho natin iyan, pipilitin ho natin iyan (that we also want to finish this the soonest. So, we will endeavor that),” Tolosa said. (PNA)