Tongol: Dec. 16 a 'logistical projection,' not a deadline for impeachment court

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Impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol said Monday that the December 16 schedule he mentioned earlier should not be seen as a deadline for the impeachment court to issue a verdict on the case of Vice President Sara Duterte.

In an interview ahead of Day 33 of the impeachment trial, Tongol clarified that the date was only based on administrative plotting or logistical projection hinged on the pre-trial order calendar.

“Pero I agree, and I appreciate the correction and clarification of the senator-judges of that target date dahil hindi po ito dapat na tignan na bilang deadline para sa ating impeachment court. Dahil ang kanilang concern po ay ‘yung integrity ng impeachment proceeding na dapat ay mabigyan ng pagkakataon ang lahat na mailatag ang kanilang ebidensya,” the court spokesperson explained.

(But I agree with, and appreciate, the correction and clarification made by the senator-judges regarding that target date, because it should not be viewed as a deadline for our impeachment court. Their concern is the integrity of the impeachment proceedings and ensuring that everyone is given the opportunity to present their evidence.)

“Ang kanilang sinasabi lamang sa atin na ang ebidensya ay hindi susunod doon sa kalendaryo. Ang kalendaryo ang susunod sa ebidensya,” he added.

(What they are telling us is simply that the evidence must not follow the calendar; the calendar must follow the evidence.)

During the trial, Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo asked the Senate impeachment court to admonish Tongol for telling the media that the verdict in Duterte’s impeachment trial would be out by December 16.

Senator-judge Kiko Pangilinan also earlier thumbed down remarks made by the impeachment court spokesperson, saying that they have had no talks of such a timeline.

For his part, Tongol clarified that the trial may be prolonged or cut short based on the evidence presented.

“Kung makita ng impeachment court na kailangan nang mas mahabang paglatag ng mga ebidensya, then mauurong pa ‘yun, ‘yung date na ‘yun. At kung ito naman ay nakita na maraming stipulations na nagawa at maraming dropping of witnesses at dropping of possible articles of impeachment, ito namang date na ‘to ay uurong nang mas maaga pa,” he explained.

(If the impeachment court determines that a more extensive presentation of evidence is needed, then that date will be moved to a later time. On the other hand, if many stipulations are made, and there will be dropping of witnesses and potential articles of impeachment, then the date could be moved up to an earlier time.)

Nevertheless, Tongol said he welcomes the guidance of the senator-judges. —AOL, GMA News