MANILA, Philippines — The pre-trial conference for the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte ended Thursday night -- with the House prosecution panel blaming the defense for the delay in terminating the procedure.
The proceedings started on Thursday, June 18 and wrapped up after a total of five working sessions. The impeachment trial proper will begin on July 6.
The five-day conference revolved mainly around the preliminary marking and evaluation of documentary evidence from both parties.
"I placed on record that that position of the defense actually prolonged the process of pre-marking the exhibits of both the defense and the prosecution," said Rep. Gerville Luistro, who led the House prosecution panel.
In one instance, both camps had to mark about 8,000 pieces of evidence instead of 4,000 because the defense insisted on marking their documents separately even though these are the same exhibit presented by the prosecution.
"So, nagiging times two 'yung dedicated time [for the marking of evidence]," Luistro said during the briefing.
"We put on record our observation about the common exhibits that in spite of the willingness of the prosecution that we share the marking in the same exhibit because after all it is exactly the same, that's why we call it common exhibit, the defense maintained their position to put their marking on a separate set of documents," she said.
With the termination of the pre-trial conference, the Impeachment Court will now issue the pre-trial order which serves as the guide for the holding of the impeachment trial.
"We expressed our thanks and gratitude to the Impeachment Court because through the intervention of the Impeachment Court we were able to finish the marking [of evidence] especially with voluminous documents pertaining to the Article on Unexplained Wealth and the Article on Confidential Fund," said Luistro.
