MANILA— The House prosecution team said that the Senate impeachment court’s one-day “strategic procedural pause” would not disrupt its presentation of evidence against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, with prosecutors preparing to call witnesses on financial and property records during whole-day hearings.

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said the prosecution remained on track despite the suspension of proceedings on Sept. 30.

“Tingin ko hindi naman po,” Ridon said at a press briefing when asked whether the break could affect the prosecution’s momentum.

“Katulad ng binabanggit po ng Senate impeachment court spokesperson, hindi naman po tayo under delay. In fact, mabilis pa nga at nauna ’yung phase po nito ng ating witness presentation,” he added.

The Senate impeachment court suspended proceedings on Sept. 30 for a “strategic procedural pause” ahead of whole-day hearings starting Oct. 1.

House impeachment team spokesperson Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said prosecutors would continue presenting their evidence while following the impeachment court’s rulings on how the trial would proceed.

“Makakaasa po ang ating taong-bayan, tuluy-tuloy po ang House prosecution team para sa paglalantad po ng mga ebidensya sa paglilitis po na ito,” Alonto Adiong said.

He added that the prosecution would also comply with any decision by the impeachment court to suspend proceedings again.

“Kung magkakaroon man ng additional strategic pause, consistent din po ang prosecution panel na tatalima sa anumang magiging desisyon ng korte,” he said.

For the next hearings, Ridon said prosecutors were preparing to call officials from the Land Registration Authority, Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura and former Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV.

“Handa pong maglatag ng mga testigo at ebidensya ’yun pong prosecution panel bukas at sa Biyernes kung saan nakalista po ’yung pong mga partikular na mga testigo, ’yun pong LRA officials, ’yun pong AMLC executive director, at si former Sen. Sonny Trillanes,” he said.

The prosecution was still working out the order in which the witnesses would testify after senator-judges called for a logical sequence in presenting financial evidence, particularly bank records.

Ridon acknowledged that there could be merit in hearing Buenaventura before Trillanes if the former senator’s testimony would specifically cover certain bank accounts.

“I think tama rin naman po ’yung binabanggit ng senator-judges, ’yung logical sequencing, particularly on the banks, mas akma kung mauuna po AMLC, if specific to ’yung bank accounts na alam po ni Sen. Trillanes ’yung pag-uusapan,” he said.

At the same time, Ridon said Trillanes could testify before the AMLC official because his expected testimony would cover matters beyond bank accounts and issues previously discussed before the House Committee on Justice.

“Whether mauna po si former Sen. Trillanes o mahuli, as what several of the members of the Senate impeachment court are actually asking for—I think they intimated it yesterday—then sa totoo lang, we are ready naman po to do it in whichever sequence that they will be presented,” he said.

Ridon said the shift to whole-day hearings would give the prosecution time to present its witnesses while allowing the defense to cross-examine them and the senator-judges to raise questions.

The House prosecution is currently presenting evidence under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which concerns allegations involving Duterte’s unexplained wealth, financial transactions and business interests.