Impeachment court denies prosecution's motion to read Articles of Impeachment vs. VP Sara — GMA News

[0:00] chair notes the entry of appearance of the councils for um respondent vice president [0:05] sarah zimmerman duterte and chair likewise notes the device president is not physically present [0:11] but represented um more than adequately by her counsels who entered their appearance [0:20] on may 19 2026 the court pursuant to rule seven of our rules issued the summons to vice president [0:26] sarah zimmerman duterte to answer to the articles of impeachment on may 20 2026 the sergeant at arms [0:33] served the summons and the vice president and made the return of service under oath before the [0:37] secretary of the senate let the return be entered at large into the records pursuant to rule eight of [0:44] the rules of procedure on impeachment trials so ordered likewise the court received pleadings [0:51] comments manifestations filed by the parties all such pleadings comments manifestations and requests [0:57] filed by the parties as well as all issuances and orders of the clerk as well as the clerk of court [1:03] made through the presiding officer are hereby deemed read into the records of the case so ordered [1:11] at this juncture the chair would like to um direct the parties to prepare for their opening statements [1:17] we will start with the prosecution may i know from the prosecution who will deliver the opening statement [1:23] and from the respondent who will deliver the opening statement under our rules only one lawyer shall [1:29] um deliver the opening statement for either side i presume representative louis tro you will deliver [1:35] for the prosecution and for the part on the part of the respondent i will deliver the opening statement [1:40] for the defense your honor representative louis tro from the panel of prosecutors of the house of [1:46] representatives is now recognized to deliver her opening statement for the prosecution you may proceed [1:53] ma'am and you have 15 minutes your honor before i proceed the prosecution moves respectfully moves [2:03] for the reading of the four articles of impeachment and the entry of the corresponding answer or plea [2:12] for each article of impeachment your honor your honor this is consistent to the senate rules [2:19] on impeachment particularly rule seven your honor the last paragraph of which which mentions about [2:28] failure to appear failure of the lawyer to appear and failure to file answer there should be [2:34] an entry of plea of not guilty likewise your honor under rule nine of the senate rule of an impeachment [2:43] which says that the person impeached shall then be called to appear and answer the articles of impeachment [2:50] against him or her in this art in this rule your honor it was likewise provided that the name of the person [3:00] appearing appearing in behalf of the respondent should be entered into the record and by the answer your honor [3:08] it is humbly believed that it pertains to the particular plea of whether guilty or not guilty of the respondent your honor [3:16] likewise your honor under rule 22 21 your honor the trial of all the articles of impeachment shall be completed [3:28] before the senator's vote on the final question of whether or not the impeachment is sustained it is [3:36] gleaned from this rules your honor that the senators will be voting on a per article basis your honor and [3:43] that is why it is the humble submission of the prosecution that there should be reading of the article [3:49] and entry of the particular plea per article your honor this likewise your honor manifest [3:56] our complete adherence to the mandate of the constitution [4:00] our complete adherence to the mandate of the constitution [4:00] sa pagbasa po ng mga artikulo ng impeachment at pagpapasok ng sagot ng respondent [4:07] may ipakita po natin sa sambayanang Pilipino ang ating pagsunod sa mandato ng [4:13] konstitusyon likewise your honor it upholds due process not only of the respondent but also of the [4:20] filipino people sa pagbasa po ng mga artikulo ng impeachment she will be informed of the nature of [4:27] the accusation against her bago pa po siya sumagot whether she is guilty or not guilty your honor [4:35] likewise your honor ang apat na artikulo po ng impeachment ay nakabase sa iba't ibang aligasyon [4:41] ng facts at iba't ibang nature of accusation or cause of action your honor and with that your honor it is [4:48] perceived that there is a possibility that the plea of the respondent to each and every article will [4:55] be different from one another your honor and lastly your honor this is consistent with the senate rules [5:01] on impeachment because the senator judges the honorable senator judges your honor will be voting [5:07] on a per article basis after the conclusion of the trial of this impeachment case your honor [5:14] the chair will respond unless the council for respondent would like to um say something about [5:22] the motion of the distinguished lead prosecutor yes your honor may comment the lady may proceed [5:28] before the presiding officer can rule on the motion or request of the lead prosecutor but before i give [5:37] my comment may i just clarify if the lead prosecutor is now making a motion to arraign the respondent accused [5:46] your honor whether this is arraignment or otherwise the motion of the prosecution is very much [5:53] consistent with the senate rules on impeachment i think the question your honor is very simple as i [5:58] have mentioned your honor no your honor rule seven prosecutor rule nine is the lead prosecutor [6:04] let this not be a debate between the councils for the respondent accused council correspondent kindly make [6:11] your comments and avoid asking questions from the council for the prosecutor we will recognize the [6:18] council for respondent for comments on the motion and the manifestations made by the lead prosecutor for [6:25] the house you may proceed ma'am thank you your honor i believe i have a standing question to the lead prosecutor [6:31] and i would like to ask her for the legal basis for requiring the respondent to be arraigned today [6:39] because your honor i note that in her request earlier and manifestations given [6:49] for the respondent to be arraigned today she cited um rule seven rule nine and rule 21 however in rule seven [7:02] it very clearly states that if the person impeached after service shall fail to appear either in person [7:11] or by council or by council on the day so fixed or appearing shall fail to file his answer to such [7:18] articles of impeachment the trial shall proceed nevertheless as upon a plea of not guilty well [7:25] this rule is clear it does not talk about any arraignment and if we take a look at this sentence [7:31] everything here has been satisfied the respondent accused is here has attended through council she may not [7:39] be in person but the notice given to the defense is that she may appear through council second thing [7:46] is that the respondent accused was also able to file her answer and so rule seven does not support the [7:53] request of the lead prosecutor uh that the respondent accused be arraigned today now on the matter of [8:00] article 9 um council also say uh also say that the person impeached shall then be called to appear and [8:08] answer the articles of impeachment against him or her and if he or she appears or any person for [8:15] him or her the appearance shall be recorded stating particularly if by himself or by agent or a council naming [8:23] the person appearing in the capacity in which or she he appears if he or she does not appear either [8:29] personally or by agent or council the same shall be recorded and for all intents and purposes respondent [8:36] is present today through council there is also nothing in rule nine that requires the reading [8:44] of a 23 page articles of impeachment which will be a waste of judicial time now finally under rule 21 your [8:57] honor uh may i just correct the manifestation earlier by council because it would seem to me unless [9:06] um a reading of the transcript would uh uh say that i'm mistaken but i seem to have heard uh the lead [9:16] prosecutor claim that the voting on the articles of impeachment will be per article well that's true [9:23] but the first sentence of rule 21 says the trial of all the articles of impeachment shall first be completed [9:32] before the senators vote on the final question on whether or not the impeachment is sustained now [9:38] honestly i do not see how rule 21 is related to the motion now being requested or propounded by the lead [9:46] prosecutor and at any rate your honor given that the respondent is represented by her council today [9:56] um and this is consistent um her appearance is consistent with the notice given and in accordance [10:03] with the rules on uh rules of procedure of this court then uh we can enter um her plea on her behalf [10:13] the arguments of the parties are duly noted chair will now make its ruling the articles of impeachment [10:20] were deemed read and spread into the records when it was referred by the senate to the committee [10:24] and justice for the proper issuance of summons and a plea of not guilty will only be entered in [10:30] accordance with our rules in behalf of the vice president if she does not file an answer but in [10:36] this case she has so she has filed an answer and in fact has um appeared through council in so far as [10:43] the reading of the articles of impeachment is concerned it will be done at the final um resolution of [10:50] this case when it is put to a vote by the senator judges where each article of impeachment will be [10:56] read before a vote shall be taken um there on for those reasons the motion is denied and the lead [11:02] prosecutor representative um louis may proceed with her opening statement kindly be mindful of the clock [11:10] and before recognizing you ma'am may i remind the councils for the parties to kindly address the chair [11:17] with respect to anything and everything they want or wish to say before the court and not to address each other