Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon says the House prosecution panel is now in its final stages of its preparations for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

More importantly, Ridon, a member of the panel, expressed supreme confidence that the public prosecutors would score a conviction against the second highest official of the land.

Speaking during the Saturday News Forum on June 6 at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, Ridon says the prosecution is focused on ensuring that all evidence and witnesses are ready ahead of the pre-trial proceedings scheduled on June 15.

“So naghahanda po kami towards pre-trial, lahat po ng mga ebidensya ay pinipinal, lahat po ng mga dokumento ay pinipinal, lahat po ng mga witnesses ay mapipinal po para pagka nagkaroon po ng pre-trial conference kasama po ng Senate impeachment court at ng kabilang panig ay handang-handa na po ang prosecution panel,” the lawyer-solon said.

(So we are preparing for pre-trial, finalizing all evidence, documents, and witnesses so that once the Senate impeachment court and the defense convene, the prosecution panel is fully ready.)

Ridon said the preparations were in line with the timetable set by the Senate impeachment court, which scheduled pre-trial proceedings this month and the start of trial on July 6.

“Sa bahagi po ng House prosecution panel ay tuloy-tuloy po ‘yung aming paghahanda at ‘yun pong definite timelines na ibinigay po ng Senate impeachment court, ‘yun pong pre-trial proceedings sa gitna po ng Hunyo at ‘yun pong start ng trial ng July 6 ay pinaghahandaan po namin,” he said.

(On the part of the House prosecution panel, preparations continue in line with the definite timelines set by the Senate impeachment court, with pre-trial proceedings scheduled for mid-June and the start of the trial on July 6.)

Ridon shared that prosecutors and volunteer private lawyers have already begun conducting mock trials covering each article of impeachment to sharpen their presentation of evidence and witness testimonies.

Vice President Duterte's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Ridon also disclosed that the panel would no longer file a formal reply to the Vice President’s answer before the impeachment court. The prosecutors argued that it failed to directly address the allegations contained in the articles of impeachment.

“Minarapat din po ng House prosecution panel na hindi po mag-submit ng formal reply doon sa answer, non-answer ng ating pong Pangalawang Pangulo,” said Ridon, who added that the panel would simply make a manifestation.

(The House prosecution panel has also decided not to submit a formal reply to the Vice President’s answer, which was a non-answer.)

The House prosecution panel earlier said it intends to present during the trial documentary, financial, and testimonial evidence, including reports from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), findings from government investigations, and other records supporting the allegations contained in the impeachment complaint.

Ridon said the prosecution remains convinced it can obtain the 16 votes from the senator-judges that are required for conviction regardless of recent developments in the upper chamber.

“Our confidence on convicting the Vice President is not based on the numbers of the Senate or the leadership of the Senate. Our confidence on convicting the Vice President is based on the evidence itself," he said.

The lawyer-solon was referring to the recent upheavals at the Senate that saw two Senate Presidents and an acting Senate President in the last three weeks.

He said the prosecution’s confidence is anchored on what it considers a strong body of documentary, financial, and testimonial evidence. As such, he maintained that changes in the Senate leadership would not affect the prosecution’s ability to secure a conviction.

“So on the AMLA reports, on the NBI reports, on each and every piece of evidence that is there for the senator-judges to see during trial proper,” he said.

“So pagpalit man o hindi, we’re certain that we will be able to muster the numbers to convict the Vice President. We will get to 16, irrespective of who the leadership was or who the leadership is,” he said.

(So whether leadership changes or not, we are certain we can muster the numbers to convict the Vice President. We will reach 16, regardless of who the leadership was or who the leadership is.)

He also expressed confidence that senators from both sides of the current divide in the Senate would ultimately be persuaded by the evidence presented during the trial.