MANILA – The House prosecution panel said it will not move to inhibit senator-judges perceived to be allied with Vice President Sara Duterte in her upcoming impeachment trial before the Senate.

In a report, it sai that Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro, head of the prosecution panel, said they will respect the participation of all senators in the impeachment court.

“We will not be doing that because we recognize their prerogative to participate and decide on this impeachment trial. If ever there will be inhibition, definitely it will not come from us. I don’t know where it will come from,” Luistro said in a press conference.

She added that seeking inhibition would not be appropriate in an impeachment proceeding.

“This is a constitutional duty [for the Senators]. I don’t think that inhibition will be proper here,” she said.

Luistro also said the prosecution panel will oppose any attempt to dismiss the impeachment case at the outset, stressing that such a move is not provided under Senate impeachment rules.

“Definitely, if there will be a move or request towards the dismissal of the impeachment complaint, i-o-oppose namin yun. I said it earlier that the Senate rules on impeachment do not speak about dismissal,” she said.

She added that the rules only provide for a trial that leads to either conviction or acquittal.

“The [Senate] rules [on impeachment] neither speak about remand nor about clarification. Ang sinasabi lamang po ng Senate rules on impeachment, [conducting a] trial. And after trial, the judgment is either conviction or acquittal. So kung may motion to dismiss, or if the allegations are tantamount to a motion to dismiss, we will definitely oppose that,” she said.

Under the 1987 Constitution, once at least one-third of House members endorse an impeachment complaint, the Senate shall forthwith proceed to trial.

The Senate rules on impeachment require senators to observe political neutrality during proceedings, defined as the exercise of duty without unfair discrimination regardless of party affiliation or preference.

The House impeached Vice President Duterte on May 11, with at least 257 lawmakers voting in favor, exceeding the constitutional requirement to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

The articles include allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery, and other high crimes. These stem from accusations involving the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, unexplained wealth, failure to properly disclose assets, continued business interests while in office, alleged inducement of irregular procurement practices, and alleged grave threats and incitement.

During House hearings, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura said the Vice President and her husband, Manases Carpio, recorded P6.7 billion in covered and suspicious transactions from 2006 to 2025.

The same hearings also cited SALN-related findings indicating that Duterte and her husband declared no cash on hand or in bank accounts from 2019 to 2024.