By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
The Senate Impeachment Court will try to keep next week’s proceedings on schedule but will not sacrifice the full presentation of evidence for speed, its spokesperson said Friday.
In a press briefing, lawyer Regie Tongol said the court expects longer trial days when proceedings resume on Monday, July 13, as both prosecution and defense panels proceed with direct, cross, redirect, and recross examinations of scheduled witnesses.
“We will all endeavor to finish everything on schedule. However, there might be circumstances that will lead to have the day extended or even continued the next day,” he said.
“Kasi ang mas mananaig talaga dito sa ating mga kababayan is lumabas talaga yung katotohanan at fully mailabas yung ebidensiyang dapat ilabas,” Tongol added.
Tongol said the court made time-and-motion studies during the first three days of trial and expects proceedings next week to possibly last until around 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.
He said ending at around 6:00 p.m. would already be fortunate if the presentation and examination of witnesses proceed at length.
“Based on the time and motion studies that we did last three days of the impeachment trial, siguro mga 7:00 p.m. tayo matatapos sa mga ganyan. 7 to 8, swerte na tayong mga 6 o’clock,” he said.
Tongol said the pace of trial will depend on how fast lawyers ask questions, how witnesses answer, and how efficiently the prosecution lays down its evidence.
He said the court will still seek ways to avoid unnecessary delays, including encouraging parties to stipulate on uncontested matters such as a witness’ identity or credentials.
The impeachment court is set to resume on Monday with NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc expected as the prosecution’s next witness.
Tongol said Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez is scheduled as witness on Tuesday, July 14, based on the subpoena ad testificandum issued to her.
House of Representatives’ Legislative Security Bureau head Executive Director Belinda Bello is expected to be presented on Wednesday, July 15.
Both prosecution and defense panels are also required to submit on Monday their formal memoranda on the requested subpoenas for Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), and bank records.
Tongol said oral arguments on the bank deposits and BIR documents are scheduled on Wednesday, with both sides given 10 minutes each to argue their positions and three minutes for rebuttal.
The subpoena issues involve the prosecution’s request for records from the BIR, banks, and the AMLC, while the defense has raised objections involving confidentiality, tax rules, and the scope of records being sought.
Tongol said the court recognizes public comments that the trial may appear too technical, but stressed that impeachment proceedings must still follow rules of evidence, procedure, and due process.
He said the challenge is to balance public understanding with the rights of all parties in a formal court process.
“Medyo it’s a hard balancing act pero siguro ang gagawa lang talaga ng Korte moving forward is to exert more effort into try to ask the parties to stipulate on matters na medyo wala namang ganong contention yung both parties,” Tongol said.
