Politics · Philippines Bureau
VP Duterte's defense team flags prosecution's alleged sub judice violations
The defense panel of Vice President Sara Duterte filed a manifestation before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday, citing statements from private prosecutors that allegedly violated a prior court ruling prohibiting public discussion of impeachment case merits.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison submitted the manifestation before the Senate impeachment court, invoking a previous judicial directive that restricts all parties from discussing the substantive aspects of the impeachment articles against the Vice President.
The defense filing centers on alleged statements made by the private prosecutors handling the impeachment case. According to the manifestation, these statements breached the court's prohibition on public commentary regarding the merits of the case.
The prior ruling cited by the defense counsel had been issued to maintain the integrity of the impeachment proceedings and prevent prejudicial public discourse that could influence the deliberations. The court-imposed restriction applies equally to all parties involved in the case, including the prosecution team.
The submission marks another procedural development in the ongoing impeachment case against the Vice President. The Senate impeachment court has yet to issue a ruling on the defense's manifestation at the time of this report.