THE pre-trial conference for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will resume today, June 22, with the defense and prosecution finishing the marking of documents.
The pre-trial serves as the initial meeting of both panels before the senator-judges begin the trial proper. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, is expected to start the trial on July 6.
The defense and prosecution panels met on July 18 at the Senate to present their evidence related to the four Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.
Michael Poa, who heads Duterte's defense team, said last week they have finished marking evidence concerning Articles 3 (Bribery) and 4 (Threats).
Poa said both panels need more time to process documents related to Articles 1 (Misuse of Funds) and 2 (Unexplained Wealth), which are voluminous.
Senate Secretary and Clerk of Court Renato Bantug Jr. presided over the preliminary meeting, along with Deputy Clerks of Court Marivic Laurel-Garcia and Maria Valentina Cruz.
The prosecution panel from the House of Representatives was led by Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.
The Senate received on June 15 the pre-trial briefs submitted by the two panels.
Bantug said that pre-trial is where the parties formalize stipulations and identify issues that the court can resolve in a simplified manner.
House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil said the prosecution panel submitted 29 copies of its pre-trial brief, more than enough for all senator-judges.
Garafil also confirmed the filing of the formal entry of appearance of the prosecution’s lawyers.
Poa said the defense panel submitted a pre-trial brief of more than 60 pages.
He said the document contains the names of several witnesses the defense plans to present.
In a Notice of Pre-Trial Conference issued by Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian on June 9, the impeachment court directed Duterte and the House prosecutors to appear on June 18 at the Senate to address pre-trial matters, including the sequence for the presentation of evidence.
Akbayan Rep. Jose Manuel Diokno on Sunday said the prosecutors were focused on preparing for evidence presentation amid public debate over how the Constitution's requirement of a two-thirds vote should be applied.
Interviewed in dzBB's Bantay Balita sa Kongreso on Sunday, Diokno said “the number of votes is not on our mind. Our only purpose is for our presentation of evidence to be convincing and persuasive."
The House, voting 257-25 with nine abstentions, impeached Duterte on May 11 over alleged misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth allegedly amassed, alleged bribery, and the remark to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
A month earlier, the House Committee on Justice found probable cause to impeach Duterte and sent the impeachment articles to the House plenary for action.
Diokno said the pre-trial will likely be finished either Monday or Tuesday.
