House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Members of the House of Representatives' prosecution panel has shared some of the ways that the chamber is preparing for the upcoming impeachment trial of the embattled Vice President Sara Duterte.

1-Rider Party-list Rep. Rodge Gutierrez bared that the House leadership had already begun preparing the impeachment secretariat to ensure that all necessary documents, strategies and legal resources are in place.

“As we speak, the House leadership is already preparing the impeachment secretariat so we will be prepared,” Gutierrez said in a press conference Thursday, Feb. 6.

“If ever the Senate does indeed interpret that they could proceed with trial as early as March, we will be ready. If they decide that it will continue after June 2, we will be even more ready,” he noted.

Another congressman-prosecutor, Iloilo 3rd district Rep. Lorenz Defensor, says that an information dissemination campaign on the impeachment process is in the offing.

“Magkakaroon tayo ng information campaign din para sa ating mga kababayan para maintindihan nila ang proseso ng impeachment, to simplify it so that every citizen can understand the process,” he said.

(We will have an information campaign for the benefit of the public, so they may understand the impeachment process, to simplify it so that every citizen can understand the process.)

Defensor stressed that each article of impeachment should be laid out simply and clearly to be understood by the public.

The six major allegations contained in the seven articles of impeachment within the 33-page complaint are conspiracy to assassinate President Marcos; malversation of P612.5 million in confidential funds; bribery and corruption in Department of Education (DepEd); unexplained wealth and failure to disclose assets; involvement in extrajudicial killings (Davao Death Squad); and destabilization, insurrection, and public disorder.

Both lawmakers made it clear that they will not use the election campaign period for impeachment purposes, but nonetheless acknowledged that the voters themselves will ask about it.

“Not necessarily campaign material but I have a platform since it is election. And it’s my duty to educate my voters, my citizens in my district to understand what the impeachment is about and what the allegations are all about,” Defensor explained.

“I don’t think it will be using the campaign. I think our constituents themselves will be asking us, sila na mag-volunteer ng question (they will volunteer the questions)," Gutierrez said, for his part.