Why Senate impeach court can dismiss VP Sara's case according to Panelo — ANC

[0:00] Attorney Panelo, let's talk about the impeachment trial. [0:03] Halos fixture na po kayo sa likod pag nanonood po kaming lahat. [0:08] What's your assessment of how it's going on so far? [0:13] Magsimula tayo dun sa nangyari kahapon. [0:15] Parang nalihis yung atensyon ng publiko dun sa kung ano talagang nangyayari sa takbo ng trial [0:21] at napunta dun sa bangayan na magkabilang panig. [0:25] Attorney Panelo. [0:25] It's a waste of time. [0:28] Look at this Article 1. [0:31] I've been saying that the prosecution should have not filed the case [0:38] because according to the witnesses, the basis for filing it does not exist. [0:45] According to the witnesses, whatever findings they have are all preliminary and recommendatory, [0:53] meaning not final, and subject to review by the commission itself as well as by the court. [0:59] Eh kung wala ka palang final na irregular yung disbursement mo, [1:05] so anong magiging basis mo for filing that case? [1:09] It becomes an injustice. [1:11] Kaya nga I said yesterday that the prosecution, [1:17] ang mga may sinasabi ni Robin Padilla, [1:19] that the prosecution's job is not just to prosecute, but to render justice. [1:25] Kung nakikita mo na mali ang pag-file, it's your duty to dismiss it. [1:33] On your own, you can file a motion to dismiss it. [1:36] Dahil mali eh, dahil premature pa, Carmina. [1:41] I'm not saying that they cannot file. [1:42] They can file a case after it becomes final. [1:46] Pero sa ngayon, hindi pa. [1:47] So we're wasting time. [1:49] Paulit-ulit na nga sinasabi nila na hindi final, subject to review. [1:56] Meron pang 180 days, nakapending pa. [1:59] So anong pinag-uusapan natin dito? [2:01] Dapat hindi na. [2:02] Because based on the joint circular, failure to liquidate can already be, [2:07] it's already prima facie, right? [2:10] That something wrong was done. [2:12] Carmina, it's just prima facie, meaning that's rebuttable. [2:17] Kaya nga hindi nga final eh. [2:20] Pero yun po ang... [2:21] Kaya nga ako, alam mo ang teorya ko dyan. [2:24] The impeachment court can motoprop you dismiss the case [2:30] without anybody asking it to dismiss it. [2:34] But they're already discussing it. [2:36] The defense can file also a case to dismiss it. [2:38] Kasi wala nang legal basis. [2:40] Kasi inamin na nga na hindi pa final eh. [2:43] But they're well into the argument already. [2:45] They're well into presenting their counter-narratives and narratives. [2:49] Carmina, there are many cases. [2:52] Me, like me for instance, as a lawyer, [2:55] pag nakita ko ng mali yung na-i-file, [2:58] ako'y sa prosecution, private prosecutor, [3:01] ay hindi ako papayag na itutuloy mo yan. [3:04] Kasi that's an injustice. [3:07] Pero yung konteksto po, [3:08] na sabi nyo nga, hindi pa perfected, [3:11] hindi pa conclusive ang findings, [3:14] nasa kalakitnaan pa lang ng proseso. [3:17] But we're talking about a huge amount of confidential funds here [3:22] na naibigay sa isang impeachable official [3:26] na pinagkatiwalaan na gastusin ng tama. [3:29] Kung yun pa lang, hindi maliquidate ng maayos [3:32] at mababa yung threshold [3:34] dun sa kanilang pagpapangalaga ng mga pondong ito, [3:38] it's the bare minimum [3:39] and they couldn't even do it right. [3:43] Pagkakatiwalaan pa ba ang taong yun? [3:45] Yun ang sinasabi ng kabilang panig. [3:47] Go ahead. [3:48] Tignan mo, sino ba ang accountable officer? [3:53] Pinagtitilitan nila na si Vice President Inde Isara [3:57] and yet, the very circular that they are invoking, [4:02] nakalagay doon, [4:04] it's either the special dispersing officer [4:06] or, in the end, or the head of agency. [4:11] Eh bakit si head of agency yung pinapailan mo? [4:14] Hindi naman siya tumanggap ng pera. [4:16] Hindi naman siya nagpatupad ng disbursement. [4:20] Kundi yung SPO. [4:22] Doon lang may problema na. [4:25] Mali na kaagad. [4:26] Tapos, yung sinasabi nilang fake. [4:31] Fake yung mga fictitious yun pala. [4:33] Hindi naman pala prohibited yun. [4:37] Tapos, yung mga sinasabi nilang proof of success. [4:40] Ang gusto lang pala ng proof of success, [4:42] yung may naa-aresto sila. [4:44] Eh, may meron akong inilarawan kanina [4:49] na halimawa, [4:52] kung because of the surveillance and intelligence information, [4:57] nakakuha ka ng informasyon [4:59] na may sasalakayin ng isang lugar. [5:02] And because of that, [5:04] pinadalaan mo ngayon ng security force. [5:08] At hindi na natuloy yung gagawin ng mga kalaban ng Estado. [5:12] That's success. [5:14] Pero sa tingin ng auditor, hindi. [5:17] Inahanap niya yung nag-uhulihin. [5:20] Eh, yan ang problema. [5:21] Kasi kung ayawin mo lang ang auditor [5:25] na kulang ang galing sa pag-analyze o talino, [5:32] eh, talagang magkakamalika. [5:33] So are you saying that this has more to do [5:37] with the imperfect system, auditing system, [5:40] that it has anything to do [5:42] with the misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds, [5:45] Atty. Panelo. [5:46] Eh, kagaya nga yan, [5:48] the provision is very clear [5:50] that the accountable officer [5:52] is either the special dispersing officer [5:57] or, eh, sino bang ididimanda mo? [6:00] Yung may hawak ng pera, [6:01] natumanggap ng pera, [6:02] nagpapatapad, [6:04] o yung nag-approve lang na, [6:05] o, yan ang plano. [6:07] Yan ang plano natin sa operasyon. [6:08] So ikaw, gawin mo na. [6:11] Puni mo na yung pera [6:12] at ipatapad mo na. [6:14] So pagdating po ng... [6:15] So pagdating po ng panahon [6:18] na ang defense naman po [6:19] ang mag-pipresenta, [6:21] ano po ang hahanapin ninyo [6:22] para mapatunayan po [6:24] kung ano po yung paniniwala nyo ngayon? [6:26] Because, you know, [6:28] andito pa lang tayo, eh, [6:29] sa prosecution side pa lang. [6:31] So ano ang tingin mong kailangan [6:33] maipakita ng defense [6:34] para mapatunayan po yung sinasabi ninyo? [6:36] Eh, unang-una, [6:39] kung ako ang defense, [6:40] hindi ako magpipresenta [6:41] kasi sa ngayon, [6:42] hindi mo naman napatunayan [6:44] na may kasalanan ng kliyente ko. [6:45] Matpapa magpipresenta? [6:47] You're entitled to the presumption of innocence. [6:50] So hayaan mong ganon? [6:51] Hahayaan mong hangin? [6:52] Kung ako ang lawyer. [6:53] Kasi as far as I'm concerned, [6:55] they have not proved anything at all. [6:57] In fact, [6:57] all the witnesses [6:58] have validated the theory [7:00] na mali lahat ang kasong pinahil nila. [7:04] On to the last question, [7:05] Attorney Panelo. [7:07] So we discussed about, [7:09] you know, [7:09] the Truth Commission [7:10] and the grave threats case [7:12] barely 48 hours ago [7:14] that was filed as well. [7:16] You still have [7:16] the ongoing impeachment trial. [7:18] You have the former president [7:19] in The Hague awaiting trial [7:22] and her and his daughter [7:23] in the midst of all this. [7:25] Can the Duterte brand survive [7:28] all of these things [7:29] happening right now? [7:30] And if it can, [7:32] how will it survive? [7:33] It appears so [7:35] because if you look at the surveys, [7:37] nanatiling mataas pa rin [7:38] ang rating ni Presidente, [7:40] ni Vice Presidente Sarah. [7:43] Given the fact na yung demanda sa kanya, [7:45] betrayal of the public trust. [7:48] Pero ang trust rating niya mataas. [7:50] Paano ngayon? [7:51] Hindi nagko-coincide [7:53] sa demanda mo sa kanya [7:55] at sa mga tinig ng taong bayan [7:59] na sinurve. [8:00] Na sinurve. [8:02] Yes. [8:03] Pero alam naman natin [8:05] na yun eh, [8:06] nagsasalamin ng karamihan. [8:09] At nakita na ba? [8:10] At saka nakita natin [8:12] nung nakarang halala. [8:13] Nakita mo. [8:14] Hindi nanalo [8:15] ang mga kumukonta sa kanila. [8:18] And you think that's going [8:19] to carry through [8:20] to 2020? [8:21] I think so, yes. [8:22] Yes, I think so. [8:23] Okay, we're going to have [8:24] to leave it at that. [8:24] Atty. [8:25] Salvador Panelo there, [8:26] former presidential, [8:27] make that chief presidential [8:28] legal counsel, [8:29] joining us this noon. [8:30] Thanks again. [8:31] Thank you. [8:32] Right from there.