There is no reason for the pro-Senator Rodante Marcoleta rally to derail or affect in any way the opening of the much-anticipated Senate impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on July 6.

Thus, said House prosecution panel spokesperson Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong even as an Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC)-led demonstration EDSA for the embattled Marcoleta reached its second day on Wednesday, July 1.

"When you try to connect this with the impeachment, as far as we know, there should be no reason for the impeachment trial to be delayed. We do not see any connection whatsoever,” Adiong said in an interview with reporters.

Although there are some who are trying to link the pro-Marcoleta rally to the high-stakes trial, Adiong says that there's no connection.

“I would not directly conclude that they are related to the impeachment because the concerns being raised involve a separate legal matter. We do not see any connection whatsoever between the two,” he said.

This notwithstanding, Adiong stressed that the House prosecution panel respects the constitutional right of all Filipinos to peacefully assemble and express their views. Reports said the EDSA rallyists were opposing the alleged imminent plunder charges against Marcoleta.

“We respect their position. We respect their right to peacefully assemble and to express whatever advocacies or positions they believe are important for the country to know,” Adiong said.

Impeachment trial respondent Duterte has aired support for the EDSA demonstration. Marcoleta, who is supposed to take part in the trial as a senator-judge, is the Vice President’s political ally,

“As far as the House prosecution is concerned, we remain focused on complying with the Senate’s directives. We continue to prepare for the proceedings and are optimistic that everything will move forward according to schedule. As far as the impeachment trial is concerned, it has been proceeding smoothly as planned,” Adiong said

The prosecution mouthpiece also noted that the Senate had been gearing up ahead of the July 6 trial.

“There’s already the Senate President (Sherwin Gatchalian) himself personally conducting an ocular inspection of the Senate premises to ensure that everything is in place for the trial to proceed,” Adiong said.

Adiong reiterated that each legal proceeding should be allowed to move forward independently.

“Our position is simple. The case involving Senator Marcoleta and the impeachment trial of the Vice President are separate legal proceedings. Each should be allowed to take its own course in accordance with the law. The impeachment trial should proceed based on the Constitution, the Senate rules on impeachment, and the schedule already set by the impeachment court,” he explained.