House forms impeachment secretariat to aid prosecutors in VP Sara Duterte’s trial

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The creation of the impeachment secretariat this week indicates that the House is not missing a beat in getting itself ready, should the trial of Vice President Duterte start earlier than expected

MANILA, Philippines – The House of Representatives formed an impeachment secretariat composed of House officers and staff members to assist prosecutors in the upcoming Senate trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

House Memorandum Order 19-1006, issued on Wednesday, February 26, but released to the media only two days later, lists a total of 134 staff, most of whom “shall render support services, on rotation basis” on matters that include legal research, records management, stenographic transcription, information technology, security, and administrative coordination.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco’s office is the one in charge of the impeachment secretariat, but he has designated the following people to represent him:

• Executive Director Marmoi Salonga
• Deputy Executive Director Maria Josefina Ricafort
• OIC Director II Edel Cruz

“The House secretariat plays a vital role in ensuring the orderly conduct of legislative proceedings, including impeachment trials. This directive ensures that the prosecution team has access to essential logistical, research, and documentation support to facilitate a smooth and efficient trial process,” Velasco said in a press release on Friday, February 28.

The formation of the secretariat this week indicates that the House is not missing a beat in getting the chamber ready, should the trial start earlier than expected. The same week that the House indicted Duterte on February 5, key players in her upcoming trial met to start discussing plans.

The House has designated 11 prosecutors, many of whom are making media rounds and speaking engagements to justify Duterte’s impeachment, and insist that the Senate, in the lower chamber’s view, can start the trial as soon as possible.

The Senate is currently on break, and will not resume session until June, or a month after the elections, effectively delaying the Vice President’s trial. Under Senate President Chiz Escudero’s proposed timetable, the trial will commence on July 30, under a new Congress and a few days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address.

Escudero’s view that he cannot constitute the upper chamber into an impeachment court during adjournment has ignited legal and constitutional discussions.

“We don’t need a special session because the Constitution is clear that trial shall forthwith proceed. For us, the Senate is already the impeachment court even if it is on recess,” House prosecutor and Assistant Majority Leader Ysabel Zamora said on Tuesday, February 25.

“Hopefully, [Escudero] changes his mind given the provision of the Constitution that the trial shall forthwith proceed,” prosecutor and Assistant Majority Leader Jil Bongalon added on Thursday, February 27. “Even before the 19th Congress ends, I guess the remaining months are sufficient to finish the trial.”

The Vice President was impeached in February after more than two-thirds of the House signed the complaint against her, in connection with her assassination threat against the President, her alleged misuse of public funds, and alleged bribery of government officials, among others.

– Rappler.com