MANILA — House impeachment prosecutors declared the second day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial a significant step forward, saying they successfully presented evidence despite numerous objections raised by the defense panel.
Speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s proceedings, prosecution spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong said the day’s developments favored the prosecution, particularly after the impeachment court rejected most of the defense’s procedural objections.
Adiong said the continuation of the trial allowed prosecutors to begin laying out the evidence supporting the impeachment complaint before both the Senate and the public.
He added that the proceedings demonstrated the prosecution’s commitment to presenting the facts and ensuring transparency throughout the trial.
Public prosecutor Terry Ridon of the Bicol Saro Party-list emphasized that the prosecution does not measure success by the number of objections sustained or denied. Instead, he said the more important benchmark is whether evidence is admitted and witnesses are able to testify before the impeachment court.
According to Ridon, Tuesday’s proceedings met that objective, allowing prosecutors to continue building their case.
He also noted that the defense’s repeated objections were expected, describing them as part of normal courtroom litigation. While acknowledging the defense’s right to pursue its legal strategy, Ridon said the impeachment court ultimately determines whether objections have merit.
Adiong likewise argued that the defense appeared intent on limiting the court’s appreciation of the prosecution’s evidence through technical objections.
Ridon added that the Senate impeachment court permitted portions of the prosecution’s video evidence to be presented while safeguarding the defense’s opportunity to present its own evidence later in the trial.
He said the prosecution remains focused on explaining the relevance of every witness and piece of evidence as hearings continue.
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