Barbers expects VP impeachment trial to conclude next month

MANILA, Philippines — House prosecution adviser and spokesperson, former Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, believed that the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will conclude toward the end of next month.

The former Surigao del Norte representative and governor recalled that the Vice President’s defense panel had asked for a total of 30 days to present its evidence before the prosecution dropped three articles of impeachment against her.

However, he said as far as he knew, the defense requested eight trial days on the remaining article on the alleged unexplained wealth of the Vice President and her husband, Manases Carpio.

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If the Vice President’s lawyers stick to their eight-day timeline, their evidence presentation might be over in two weeks starting Nov. 9, when trial resumes after the All Saints’ Day break of the Senate and the House of Representatives, Barbers said.

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“They were asking for 30 trial days, pero dito sa article na ito, sa aking pagkakaalam sa Article II (on unexplained wealth), ang kanilang hiningi ay eight trial days lamang,” Barbers said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

“So kung following that, na eight trial days lang, maaring matapos na, siguro matagal na ’yung two weeks,” he added.

Barbers pointed out that before the trial adjourned for the Halloween recess, the Senate impeachment court had been conducting whole-day hearings from Monday through Friday.

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“Kasi kung eight trial days nga lang no, remember Monday to Friday ngayon ang hearing, hindi kagaya noong una from 10 p.m. lang,” he said.

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However, he said the defense has the option to use up all the 30 days it had asked for to present its case.

“So ang mangyayari nito, kung puwede naman, they have the option to exhaust probably yung kanilang hininging 30 days, just to be able to (present their evidence),” he said.

Barbers said that after the defense concludes its evidence presentation, it would offer its exhibits or pieces of evidence and the prosecution would be given the opportunity to comment on it.

Before trial adjourned, the prosecution dropped the three articles on impeachment on grave threats, confidential fund misuse and bribery, and decided to focus on unexplained wealth.

In approving the dropping of the three articles, impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero said the defense no longer needed to present evidence on the withdrawn charges.

It should limit its evidence presentation to the remaining article on unexplained wealth, he said.

Based on the November trial scheduled Escudero announced last Oct. 13, the impeachment court would conduct hearings from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m on Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Nov. 10, 10 to 2:30 on Nov. 11, 10 to 6:30 on Nov. 12, 13, 19, and 20, and 10 to 2 on Nov. 23.

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There would be no trial on Nov. 30, Bonifacio Day, a holiday. /cb