MANILA — The House of Representatives prosecution team said it is putting in place measures to address misinformation and disinformation ahead of the anticipated impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson of the House prosecution panel, said Saturday that preparations for the trial include steps to counter the spread of false narratives surrounding the proceedings.

Adiong said the appointment of a spokesperson is intended to ensure accurate and timely information reaches the public.

“That’s one of the reasons why nagtalaga ng spokesperson – para ma-counter ‘yong mga naratibong hindi tama,” he said.

“Ang pinaka-purpose ng House prosecution team is to provide clarity to the public, and the way to do that is to combat the rising of fake news,” he added.

He said the prosecution team is also considering regular briefings once the trial formally begins to help ensure transparency.

“We are urging everyone to actively monitor the impeachment trial. Ito ay sagradong duty hindi lang ng House at Senate. Pinag-uusapan natin dito ‘yong accountability mechanism ng Konstitusyon, which all of us are stakeholders,” Adiong said.

The Senate, acting as an impeachment court, has already issued a writ of summons to both the prosecution and the defense teams.

Adiong said the House panel is currently waiting for the defense’s response to the articles of impeachment, which is due on June 1.

“From there, we hope that the Senate can schedule already the pre-trial, which is basically the laying down of ground rules, markings of evidence, and the identification of potential witnesses from both sides,” he said.

He added that the pre-trial will help determine how the impeachment proceedings will proceed.