MANILA, Philippines — Both the prosecution and the defense presented their opening statements in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday.
Duterte is being tried on four articles of impeachment – betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.
She is accused of allegedly misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds during her tenure as vice president and education secretary, amassing billions of pesos in unexplained wealth, bribing Department of Education personnel, and making public threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former speaker Martin Romualdez.
Prosecution lead counsel and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro reiterated the importance of the impeachment trial to the public, especially to the most vulnerable sectors of the society, such as overseas Filipino workers, teachers, and drivers.
"At first glance, some may think that this trial is far removed from their daily lives. But it is not. It is not, because what is at issue is something that belongs to all of them—their money, their trust, and their right to demand accountability from the leaders they have entrusted with public office," Luistro said.
She also highlighted the importance of accountability, citing the example of an employee who wrongfully used company funds or a principal who misused taxpayers' money.
"Why is this trial important? It is not to persecute an individual, not to seek revenge against a political opponent, and not to win in politics. Rather, it is to answer a question that is crucial to the future of our Republic," Luistro said.
Luistro also said that the four articles of impeachment, while separate, were "chapters" of the same story: power being exercised without accountabilty, public trust betrayed, public office that stopped answering to the public.
Meanwhile, Defense counsel Shiela Sison highlighted the Supreme Court's decision last year that nullified Duterte's first impeachment due to "grave abuse of discretion" and stressed that the rule of law that does justice was its lodestar.
"And that justice includes accountability. Justice includes fairness. Without fairness, there is abuse. This fairness is what our democracy is all about. It is in light of these reminders that we draw attention to certain fundamental legal principles that we think we must not forget throughout this trial," Sison said.
"Those who stand in sanctimonious judgment of the Vice President will send a clear message that the law can be bent when it suits the convenience of the powerful and that justice can be sacrificed at the altar of partisan interests," Sison added.
She also highlighted the House Committee on Justice's hearings that were held earlier this year, describing the proceedings as a "mini-trial, and reiterated that the burden of proof should remain with the prosecution, not with the defense.
"Thus, if we are to uphold the rule of law, serve justice, and invoke the accountability mechanism, then this court and we as a people must guarantee that all efforts to hold our leaders accountable must be done right," Sison said
