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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Another day, another 'victory' claimed by House prosecution team; here's why

Another day, another 'victory' claimed by House prosecution team; here's why

Published Jul 7, 2026 10:07 pm

At A Glance

  • Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong calls day two of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial another "victory" for the House prosecution panel, as most defense motions are overruled.
  • Prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon stresses that success is measured by evidence being admitted and presented without objection, not by tallying rulings on motions.
  • Adiong and Ridon say the proceedings strengthen the prosecution's push to show the truth to the public, framing the outcome as a win for the people.
The House prosecution panel (Senate Facebook)
The House prosecution panel (Senate Facebook)


For Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, Tuesday was very much like Monday--a day of "victory" for the House prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial.
“It’s very clear now...but we’re claiming victory because all the motions that were raised by the defense, most of them were overruled,” Adiong said on July 7, the second day of the high-stakes proceedings.
According to the House prosecution panel "layman" spokesperson, this development allowed the them to continuously present its evidence against the respondent, Duterte.
To have a motion or objection "overruled" means that the presiding order, in this case Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero, did not agree with the party.
The opposite of this is to have a motion or objection "sustained".
“Ultimately, nakita natin ng taumbayan ngayon na habang tumutuloy itong impeachment trial, very clear na talagang lumalabas at lumalakas ‘yung panawagan ng prosecution na ipakita sa taumbayan yung katotohanan," Adiong said of Tuesday's proceedings.
(Ultimately, we see now that as the impeachment trial continues, it becomes very clear that the prosecution’s call to show the truth to the people is truly coming out and growing stronger.)
Standard for success
Public prosecutor, Rep. Terry Ridon of Bicol Saro Party-list said the prosecution’s standard for success wasn't the number of rejected objections, but whether or not evidence was presented.
“Wala kaming tally sheet kung sino ‘yung na-reject yung objection, sino ‘yung na-sustain ‘yung objection, sino ‘yung na-utal. Kasi ang mahalaga naman po rito, ‘yung pagpapalabas mismo ng ebidensya either ng prosecution or nung depensa,” he explained.
(We don’t keep a tally sheet of whose objection was rejected, whose objection was sustained, or who stammered. Because what really matters here is the actual presentation of evidence, whether from the prosecution or the defense.)
“Ang most important metric in litigation, yun po nga naipasok yung mga ebidensya, naisalang yung ebidensya na hindi na-objection, na hindi po natitigil. So malaking tagumpay po ngayon,” he added.
(The most important metric in litigation is that the evidence is admitted, presented without objection, and not stopped. So today is a big success.)
Adiong agreed. “We have already shown to the public what evidence we have. So in that sense, sabi ko nga, we are claiming victory kasi mananalo dito ang taumbayan."
(Like what I said, we are claiming victory because it's a win for the people.)

Related Tags

Zia Alonto Adiong Terry Ridon Sara Duterte Impeachment impeachment trial Victory Chiz Escudero
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