Senator Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV said on Sunday, July 5 that he will file a motion seeking the public release of all evidence presented during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Aquino expressed his intent a day before the start of the trial which would be on Monday, July 6.

“During the first week (of the impeachment trial), we will file a motion to release all presented evidence to the public,” Aquino said in a video statement.

Aquino said it is crucial to keep the public informed as senator-judges hear the impeachment case against the Vice President, including allegations of graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and high crimes.

Moreover, he said that the impeachment trial is a rigorous constitutional process with a deliberately high threshold, requiring a two-thirds (2/3) vote of senator-judges to remove an elected official from office.

“Removing elected officials is no simple matter, because impeachment alters the will of the majority of voters,” he pointed out.

The senator also urged Filipinos to closely monitor the proceedings, form their own opinions based on the evidence and remain vigilant against misinformation.

“We will use our social media pages to gather questions and topics that are important to the public,” he also promised.

Aquino, likewise, pledged to remain impartial, saying he will carefully examine the evidence, ensure a fair trial, and vote solely based on the facts presented.

 “This is our promise. We will thoroughly examine the evidence. We will ensure that the trial is fair. No political colors, no friends, no enemies. We will vote based on the evidence,” he said.