Impeachment prosecution drops bribery article vs Sara Duterte
The House prosecution announced on Friday, Oct. 9, that it would no longer pursue its bribery case against Vice President Sara Duterte in her impeachment trial.
"After due consideration, the Panel has determined to withdraw and no longer pursue Article III (Bribery). Accordingly, the Panel will no longer present evidence on said Article III (Bribery)," the prosecution wrote in a manifestation shared by GMA News on Friday, Oct. 9. "This withdrawal will streamline the proceedings and permit the case to proceed directly to the Respondent's presentation of evidence upon the conclusion of the prosecution's presentation."
At a press briefing earlier in the day, House prosecutor Bukidnon 2nd District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores told the media, "I think we already filed our manifestation last Tuesday, that we will be dropping bribery. So the team already came to a decision na we will end with Article II."
Article II covers Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth and bank transactions, while Article III alleges she bribed Department of Education officials to bend procurement procedures during her stint as Education Secretary.
According to Flores, the panel decided to drop Article III to avoid unnecessarily extending the trial, since the prosecution believes the evidence it has presented so far is enough for a conviction.
"Ang timetable na sinasabi namin is that we think we have already presented enough on all the three articles and to drag it further pa na i-include pa namin 'yung bribery might be siguro stretching the patience not only of the people but also of the senator-judges, too long na," Flores said.
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The impeachment trial is on its 37th day.
Duterte is facing impeachment complaints for misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, and grave threats and high crimes.
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