The House prosecution panel has shrugged its shoulders on whether or not Vice President Sara Duterte will participate in her own Senate impeachment trial, which will start on Monday afternoon, July 6.

Prosecution panel spokesperson, Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the respondent's attendance or absence will not change the prosecution’s plans with the trial.

“This is a decision that ultimately falls on her and it’s a decision that she will have to explain to the Filipino people as well. But for the prosecution, insofar as we are concerned, our singular focus here will not change," he said in a press conference Monday morning at the Senate.

Adiong said the prosecution will present its case whether or not Duterte decides to personally join the proceedings.

“We will make sure that we’ll be able to establish solid evidence to back our allegations against her regardless if she will be there or not,” said the House assistant majority leader.

Another prosecution panel mouthpiece in Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co said Duterte’s prospective non-appearance would raise questions about the latter's earlier claim that she was ready to face the case.

“Kung hindi po magpakita, ang hahanapin, nasaan na po ang readiness na sinabi po noon before at gustong makita at maiharap sa mamamayan para po sa proseso ng pananagutan,” she said.

(If she doesn't show up, what will be sought is where the readiness once declared is, the readiness that was supposed to be presented to the people as part of the process of accountability.)

In the end, Co says the defense lawyers may pursue whatever strategy they feel is necessary or advantageous.

“She can have her strategy, her legal team can have that strategy, but at the end of the day this impeachment process is both a legal and political process that we want the people to participate in,” Co, a lawyer, said.

In a chance interview, solon-prosecutor Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon was asked if he would be disappointed if Vice President Duterte didn't show up.

"I don't have feelings on whether she's coming on not," he said.

"If she doesn't appear then it speaks of the level of respect that she would want to convey to the Senate impeachment court...we would have wanted her to attend in respect to the order of the Senate impeachment court," Ridon added.