Politics · Philippines Bureau
Prosecution blames defense for rejecting alternating presentations in VP impeachment trial
The House prosecution in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial said it accepted a proposal for alternating presentations, but the defense rejected the arrangement that could have addressed procedural concerns.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro disclosed Tuesday that the House prosecution agreed to an alternating presentation format suggested by Senator-Judge Bam Aquino during the Vice President Sara Duterte impeachment trial, but the defense side declined the offer.
Luistro indicated that the arrangement could have resolved issues raised by the defense team regarding trial procedures and presentation schedules. The rejection by the defense, according to the prosecution, has kept the trial proceeding under its original format.
The statement underscores mounting tensions between the prosecution and defense as the impeachment proceedings continue to unfold in the Senate. The trial, which centers on the Vice President's fitness for office, has seen multiple procedural disputes between the two sides.
Aquino's suggestion to alternate presentations was apparently aimed at ensuring fairness and expediting the trial proceedings. The prosecution's acceptance of the proposal, but the defense's rejection, now becomes a point of contention in how the case progresses.