Iloilo Third District Representative Lorenz Defensor has clapped back at Senator Migz Zubiri who called the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte a “witch hunt.”
According to the House prosecutor, Zubiri’s pronouncement was inappropriate for a senator-judge and may “[affect] the people’s perception on how the case will go about and how the trial will proceed”.
“It’s very unbecoming of a senator-judge in an impeachment trial to say that the impeachment complaint and the trial is a witch hunt,” Defensor said.
“These statements should not come from senator-judges who are expected to receive the evidence with impartiality and to treat the impeachment as a constitutional process,” he added.
The Ilonggo lawmaker stressed that the impeachment, which was supported by 215 members of the House of Representatives, is a “political process.”
“It is an act not only by the members of Congress but representatives of Filipinos who were delegated by the people to initiate impeachment proceedings,” Defensor said.
The prosecutor advised Zubiri to ”limit what [he says] to the public especially how we pre-judge the impeachment as well as the coming evidence during the trial.”
“Let’s listen to the evidence first before talking, even as a prosecutor, I did not prejudge a conviction or an acquittal. All we’re saying is that there is evidence here,” Defensor said.
On Monday, July 7, Zubiri said he thought the impeachment was a witch hunt aimed at taking out Duterte, the leading candidate for president in 2028.
“Whether I am pro-Sara or not, I have to listen to the evidence that will be presented by them. Of course, I have some biases. I think that it is a witch hunt because they want to remove her from public service.”IMT
