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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House prosecution team refuses to be distracted by Senate brouhaha

House prosecution team refuses to be distracted by Senate brouhaha

Published May 16, 2026 02:48 pm

At A Glance

  • Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora and the House prosecution panel say they will not be distracted by Senate chaos, focusing instead on preparing diligently for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
  • Zamora stresses the need for complete documents, testimonial evidence, and assigned roles before trial begins, while noting that the recent Senate coup was clearly intended to affect the impeachment.
  • The Senate is set to convene as an impeachment court on May 18, with House prosecutors ready to affirm their preparedness despite upheaval in the Senate leadership and controversies surrounding Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa.
From left: House prosecution panel members Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
From left: House prosecution panel members Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro, San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Bukidnon 2nd district Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora and the rest of House prosecution panel in Vice President Duterte's upcoming impeachment trial refuse to be distracted by the brouhaha at the Senate.
“You know, kung hindi man nangyari ‘yung kaguluhan sa Senate (whatever the chaos is at the Senate), or after all that chaos in the past few days, the prosecutors will prepare the same way with all the diligence that we need to prepare for a very good trial," Zamora said on Friday, May 16.
"We're trying to not listen to the noise,” said the House Committee on Justice vice chairperson.
To say that the Senate had a very eventual week is an understatement. Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa appeared in plenary for the first time in five months, a coup saw Senator Alan Peter Cayetano replace Senator Vicente "Toto" Sotto III as Senate President, a shooting incident/ standoff took place involving the "wanted" Dela Rosa, and then Senator Robin Padilla accompanied Dela Rosa in his escape.
Over in the House of Representatives, the solon-prosecutors are quietly preparing for the eventual trial.
“Just like in any other case, pag nagpa-practice kayo ‘yung litigation, matagal pa po bago mag-umpisa ang trial, kailangan kumpleto na ang mga dokumento, kumpletong listahan ng testimonial evidence o ng mga witnesses who will take the stand. Kailangan naka-assign na ang aming specific roles kung sino ang magco-direct or magco-cross,” Zamora said.
(Just like in any other case, when you practice litigation, it takes time before the trial begins. The documents must be complete, the list of testimonial evidence or witnesses who will take the stand must be complete, and our specific roles must already be assigned, who will do the direct or the cross.)
The Senate is set to convene as an impeachment court on May 18 at 3 p.m., as announced by Cayetano in a letter to House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III. Members of the prosecution panel said they will be present to affirm its readiness in bringing Duterte's case to trial.
As for the recent Senate coup that led to pro-Duterte senators' becoming part of the new majority bloc, Zamora says she believes that the upheaval is intended to affect the Vice President’s impeachment trial.
"Ayaw po namin guluhin ang sarili namin with what's happening in the Senate. Although, admittedly, alam po namin na nangyayari ang mga kaguluhan ito to delay or to have an effect on the impeachment,” she said.
(We do not want to distract ourselves with what is happening in the Senate. Although, admittedly, we know these disturbances are happening to delay or affect the impeachment.)
"It was clear that the coup last Monday was done for the impeachment or to have an effect on the impeachment. In fact, they did it while we were deliberating on the resolution with the impeachment articles.
"Lahat po kami ay naniniwala na may kinalaman sa impeachment po ‘yung coup (All of us believe the coup was connected to the impeachment),” added the lawyer-legislator.
Erstwhile Senate President Sotto had vowed to carry out the actual trial against Duterte "forthwith", as mandated by the Constitution.

Related Tags

Ysabel Maria Zamora Impeachment impeachment trial Senate Ronald \'Bato\' Dela Rosa Alan Peter Cayetano Sara Duterte
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