MANILA 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. on Saturday said the House prosecution has presented enough evidence to convict Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial before the Senate.
“She is guilty already. I think that what the prosecution team has actually said is enough,” Abante said at the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
Abante said Duterte’s alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former speaker Martin Romualdez were already sufficient to establish betrayal of public trust.
“Just the threat given by the vice president is already enough. It is betrayal of public trust,” he said.
The prosecution has presented National Bureau of Investigation witnesses on the grave threats allegations and two Commission on Audit state auditors on the alleged misuse of confidential funds, with OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta and former DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda among those expected to testify next week.
Abante, who endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte along with Deputy Speaker Francisco Paolo Ortega V, said he intends to attend the trial more regularly to personally follow the presentation and testing of evidence.
“I am just a silent participant in the impeachment trial, but I will become active in this,” Abante said, adding that he planned to attend the proceedings every day to see what was happening.
He said lawmakers who endorsed the impeachment complaint should see the constitutional process through instead of backing away because of political pressure or possible electoral consequences, while respecting the Senate’s authority to try and decide the case.
“The prosecutors must prove the articles, the defense must be heard, and the senator-judges must render the verdict,” Abante said.
Meanwhile, Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice slammed Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro over her criticism of his remarks on the president’s handling of the flood control controversy.
Erice said Castro appeared to have misunderstood his earlier statement that nothing would come of Marcos’ announcement that individuals, including former speaker Romualdez, could face charges over the alleged flood control fund anomalies.
“I think she did not understand what I said or she did not want to understand it,” Erice told The Manila Times.Erice said his remarks were not intended to speak for Marcos but to express what he said were the sentiments of Filipinos affected by flooding and other government problems.
“As a representative of the people, I am expressing what I hear and what I feel are the sentiments of the people,” said Erice, who confirmed giving similar remarks during a television interview.
