Sara's Impeachment Trial: The Greatest Show on Earth

Go to the Senate hall during the trial. Sit down. Listen to the proceedings, the presentation of evidence.

- TONY LOPEZ

Let the defense lawyer and the prosecution tangle with each other. Do not interfere, unless you want to ask clarificatory questions to understand the meaning of the evidence being presented or the word uttered by the witness.

That is the advice of former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile to the 23 senators—the judges in the trial of impeached Vice President Sara Duterte. A Harvard-educated lawyer (his admirers claim he never lost a case), JPE was interviewed by Inquirer TV the other day.

Sara's trial is now in full swing, no more ifs, no more buts. And into the next or 20th Congress—the 20th House of Representatives (the prosecutors) and the 20th Senate (the High Court of Impeachment).

Sara Duterte is accused of seven crimes in seven Articles of Impeachment, to wit:

• Article I: Betrayal of public trust, commission of high crimes due to her threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

• Article II: Betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption due to misuse of confidential funds (CFs) within the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP). At least P612.5 million of tax money disappeared in two years through this mechanism. Another P375 million disappeared in 2023.

• Article III: Betrayal of public trust and bribery within the DepEd. DepEd officials involved in procurement received regular bribes to "discipline" them.

• Article IV: Violation of the 1987 Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets.

• Article V: Commission of high crimes due to involvement in extrajudicial killings in the drug war.