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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'This is the moment': Luistro launches prosecution's bid to convict VP Duterte

'This is the moment': Luistro launches prosecution's bid to convict VP Duterte

Published Jul 6, 2026 06:08 pm

At A Glance

  • Lead prosecutor Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro opens the Senate impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, framing it as a test of whether public office remains a public trust.
  • Luistro cites the Constitution, stressing that power is borrowed from the people and accountability must apply equally to both powerful and powerless officials.
  • The prosecution seeks conviction over alleged misuse of P612.5 million confidential funds, false asset declarations, unexplained wealth, and death threats to President Marcos.
Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro (Senate PRIB)
Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro (Senate PRIB)


House lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro did the honors Monday, July 6 in formally launching the prosecution panel's effort to convict Vice President Sara Duterte based on the articles of impeachment.
Speaking during the first day of Duterte's Senate impeachment trial, Luistro said that the proceedings will test whether or not public office remains a public trust, and whether or not the law applies equally to the powerful and the powerless.
Luistro, chairperson of the House Committee on Justice, said the 1987 Constitution treats public office as a responsibility borrowed from the people.
“That is why the Constitution declares public office is a public trust...Ang kapangyarihan ay hindi pag-aari ng sinumang official (power isn't owned by any official)," she said.
Luistro framed the trial as the constitutional moment when public trust must be enforced. “This is the moment when public office must truly remain a public trust,” she said.
“This is the moment when the Republic must demonstrate that laws are applied equally to the powerful and the powerless alike,” added the Batangueña.
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. The four articles of impeachment are based on these allegations.
Luistro said future generations would judge the country’s institutions by how they responded when accountability was tested.
“What they will remember is when accountability was tested, the institutions of the republic stood firm,” said the lead prosecutor, who attended day one of the trial with 10 other solon-prosecutors and 14 of the 15 listed private prosecutors.
Luistro said the prosecution believes that after witnesses are heard, documents examined, and evidence weighed, the case will point to accountability.
“Ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob ay nilabag, ang kapangyarihang ipinahiram ay inabuso, at ang Constitution mismo ang humihingi ng pananagutan,” she reckoned.
(The trust that was granted was violated, the power that was lent was abused, and the Constitution itself demands accountability.)
Luistro closed by invoking the welfare of the people as the highest law: “Salus populi suprema lex. The welfare of the people is the supreme law."

Related Tags

Gerville \"Jinky Bitrics\" Luistro IMPEACHMENT Sara Duterte prosecution Senate
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