Leila De Lima, Chel Diokno join House prosecution panel in Sara Duterte's impeachment trial
Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno will be part of the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The inclusion of the incoming party-list representatives in the panel were announced in separate statements.
“The speaker (Martin Romualdez) has invited me to serve on the prosecution panel for the upcoming impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. I have accepted,” Mamayang Liberal's De Lima—a staunch critic of Sara's father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, amid his bloody war on drugs—said in a statement.
“As the principal endorser of the first impeachment complaint and after thorough party deliberations, we extend our full support to this historic process of accountability, Incoming Akbayan Representative Atty. Chel Diokno will join the House prosecution panel,” Akbayan said. Diokno previously served as a private prosecutor at the Senate trial of then-president Joseph "Erap" Estrada in 2001.
De Lima gave details about her participation in a May 14 interview with The Philippine STAR's editor-in-chief Amy Pamintuan.
"I got a call from the speaker past 3 o'clock," she said, "and he suggested and he offered that I be included in the prosecution panel. I said yes. I have accepted," she said.
De Lima said that as the spokesperson of the first group of Sara's complainants, she believes there's strong basis for her impeachment.
"Kapag maging maayos, malinaw, pursigido ang pagprosecute kay VP Sara, we're looking at conviction," she said.
De Lima noted that being part of the prosecution panel is a "continuation" of her "causes for accountability, truth, and rule of law."
"Kung sa tingin nila ay makakatulong ako, then, why not?" she added.
Asked if she thinks they have the numbers to convict Sara, De Lima acknowledged that there's no certainty yet.
"Siyempre, sa ngayon, kani-kaniya lang tayong speculations," she said. "At the end of the day, depende pa rin 'yan sa kung gaano kalakas ang ebidensiya, kung gaano ka-epektibo, kung gaano kalinaw, kung gaano kaganda o kagaling ang pagpepresenta ng mga ebidensiya."
She noted that the public will be monitoring the trial "very closely," and an unreasonable acquittal will likely lead to public scrutiny.
"What is important is that the process should already be initiated in due time. Nadefer na 'yan nang ilang buwan to give way to the elections. 'Di na dapat 'yan dinedelay-delay pa," she said. "Ngayong tapos na ang elections at parating na ang 20th Congress, kailangan na talaga iconvene ang Senado bilang isang impeachment court."
Order to be maintained throughout impeachment trial
Senate President Chiz Escudero, in a Kapihan sa Senado forum on Thursday, May 15, said they have no say about De Lima and Diokno joining the House prosecution panel.
Escudero also dismissed perceptions about "alliances" between the administration and "that color of the spectrum" that Diokno and De Lima are part of.
"Hindi ako bahagi ng anumang coalition o alyansang 'yan, at hindi ko pwede komentaryuhan diyan," he said. "Pasya 'yan ng kamara kung sino ang pipiliin nilang abogado, prosecutor. Tulad lamang ng pasya ni Vice President Sara sa kaniyang mga pipiliing abogado at magtatanggol sa kaniya. Hindi pwedeng panghimasukan ng impeachment court. Wala kaming say diyan. Pasya nila 'yan at wala kaming pakialam sa kanilang desisyon."
Escudero noted that in his 15 years as senator, he hasn't seen colleagues who decided on issues not based on their political color but rather on principle.
"Kada senador, magpapasiya individually base sa kaniyang prinsipyo, paniniwala, at pananaw," he said.
He, however, acknowledged that their backgrounds—De Lima as former justice secretary, senator, and election lawyer, and Diokno as a human rights lawyer—will "definitely add to the prosecution's ability to present their case."
Escudero also underscored that he's not concerned about the impeachment trial turning into a circus.
"No," he said. "'Yung papasok na mga miyembro ng Senado, limang reeleksiyonista, apat na dating senador, tatlo na miyembro ng Kamara... so mga beterano, batikan sa legislation sa parliamentary rules ang mga ito."
In light of "outbursts" and other commotions in past impeachment trials, Escudero said that those were inevitable. However, they will make sure to maintain peace and order during Sara's impeachment trial with the assistance of the Senate sergeant-at-arms.
"Inaasahan kong magiging maayos ang Senado at ang sinuman na magpepreside, lalo na kung ako 'yun, titiyakin ko that order will be maintained," he added.
After the forum, Escudero also gave a look at the robe that he'll be using during Sara's impeachment trial.
Marcos not pushing for impeachment trial
On May 14, Malacañang said President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. isn't pushing for Sara's impeachment trial in the Senate.
In a media briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro was asked whether the administration is confident in pursuing Sara's impeachment trial in light of the Senate's composition following the 2025 midterm polls.
''Wala pong anumang balita patungkol sa pagpursue ng pangulo sa impeachment o sa impeachment trial ni VP Sara," Castro said. "'Yan ay ating tinututulan at pinasisinungalingan."
"Wala pong sinasabing anumang pagkumpiyansa na para mapatalsik o matanggal sa puwesto ang bise presidente," she added.
Sara was impeached by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5. In a prepared statement, the House leadership said that the grounds for her impeachment are a “series of grave allegations, including conspiracy to assassinate Marcos, large-scale corruption, abuse of public funds, and involvement in extrajudicial killings.”
"Respondent's conduct throughout her tenure clearly displays gross faithlessness against public trust and a tyrannical abuse of power that, taken together, showcases her gross unfitness to hold public office and her infidelity to the laws and the 1987 Constitution," part of the complaint read.
On the same day after the House's filing, the Senate went to recess without tackling Sara's impeachment and will resume its session on June 2. The Senate has proposed to start the impeachment trial on July 30.
After casting her vote on May 12, Sara told the media that she's prepared for whatever the impeachment trial's outcome will be.
"'Yung impeachment naman, kahit anong mangyari diyan—guilty or acquittal—handa na ako sa kung anong mangyari," she said.
A successful conviction in an impeachment trial would remove one from their role and permanently disqualify them from holding public office in the future.
