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Chua Asks Public To Give New Senate Leadership 'Benefit Of The Doubt'
Photo credit: Congress PH
House impeachment prosecutor Joel Chua on Sunday urged the public not to immediately assume that the new Senate leadership would derail the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the prosecution panel still believes senators will fulfill their constitutional duty fairly and independently.
Speaking in an interview over Super Radyo DZBB, Chua said the House prosecution team remains hopeful that politics will not interfere with the impeachment proceedings even after the recent leadership shake-up in the Senate.
“Inaasahan po natin na hindi magbabago ang kanilang pagtingin at hindi nito maaapektuhan ang proseso dahil unang-una po, ito ay kanilang constitutional mandate,” Chua said.
The Manila lawmaker specifically expressed confidence in newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, describing him as a lawyer who understands the importance of respecting the Constitution.
“Inaasahan naman din po natin na ang ating bagong Senate president bilang isang abogado ay mataas ang kanyang paggalang sa ating Konstitusyon,” he said.
“Siguro bigyan muna natin ng benefit of the doubt ang ating bagong halal na Senate president,” he added.
Concerns over the impeachment trial intensified after 13 senators voted to install Cayetano as Senate president on May 11, replacing Tito Sotto and forming a new Senate majority that includes several lawmakers publicly identified with the Duterte bloc.
The leadership change immediately sparked speculation that Duterte could have enough support in the Senate to avoid conviction. Under the Constitution, at least 16 of the 24 senator-judges must vote to convict in order to remove an impeachable official from office.
Still, Chua said past impeachment cases showed that senators’ positions can shift once evidence is presented during trial.
“Sa lahat ng mga naging impeachment trial, nagsimula po talaga lahat ng walang sapat na bilang,” he explained.
“Ang pagkakaalam ko po noong panahon ni Chief Justice Corona, nagsimula po sila na pipito lamang ang senador na sang-ayon dito. Pero nung nagkabotohan na, nung naipresenta na lahat ng ebidensya, umabot na siya ng bente,” he added, referring to the 2012 impeachment conviction of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Chua also emphasized the importance of public participation and media scrutiny throughout the proceedings, saying transparency would be crucial in ensuring fairness in the trial.
“Napakalaki ng papel ng taumbayan at lalong-lalo na ang media kagaya po [ng media] na bantayan itong impeachment trial,” Chua said.
“Kasi po ito lamang ang paraan para makakuha po tayo ng hustisya na patas,” he added.
The House prosecutor revealed that the prosecution team is already preparing for possible legal obstacles and procedural challenges that could arise once the Senate formally convenes as an impeachment court.
“Isa po yan sa paghahanda namin na yung mga possible na legal obstacles na ikakaharap po namin,” he said.
According to Chua, members of the prosecution panel have begun dividing responsibilities among themselves based on the different Articles of Impeachment filed against Duterte.
As chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, Chua led congressional investigations into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure.
He said he is currently assigned to handle impeachment articles involving alleged ill-gotten wealth, confidential funds, and bribery.
“Well hindi pa naman po ito final, pero lumalabas po tatlong article ang assignment po natin—yung sa ill-gotten wealth, ‘yung sa confidential funds, at doon sa bribery,” Chua said.
The prosecution panel is also screening private lawyers who may assist the House prosecutors during the trial, along with identifying witnesses who could testify before the impeachment court.
One possible witness is Ramil Madriaga, the self-confessed bagman who earlier testified during House Committee on Justice hearings and linked himself to the handling of confidential funds.
“Nasa proseso po kami ng pagve-vetting ng mga tutulong sa amin na mga private lawyer o private prosecutors under our direction and supervision,” Chua said.
The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court at 3 p.m. on Monday, marking the formal start of proceedings after the House of Representatives impeached Duterte with 257 lawmakers voting in favor, 25 against, and nine abstentions.
The vice president faces allegations involving misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats against top government officials.
Speaking in an interview over Super Radyo DZBB, Chua said the House prosecution team remains hopeful that politics will not interfere with the impeachment proceedings even after the recent leadership shake-up in the Senate.
“Inaasahan po natin na hindi magbabago ang kanilang pagtingin at hindi nito maaapektuhan ang proseso dahil unang-una po, ito ay kanilang constitutional mandate,” Chua said.
The Manila lawmaker specifically expressed confidence in newly elected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, describing him as a lawyer who understands the importance of respecting the Constitution.
“Inaasahan naman din po natin na ang ating bagong Senate president bilang isang abogado ay mataas ang kanyang paggalang sa ating Konstitusyon,” he said.
“Siguro bigyan muna natin ng benefit of the doubt ang ating bagong halal na Senate president,” he added.
Concerns over the impeachment trial intensified after 13 senators voted to install Cayetano as Senate president on May 11, replacing Tito Sotto and forming a new Senate majority that includes several lawmakers publicly identified with the Duterte bloc.
The leadership change immediately sparked speculation that Duterte could have enough support in the Senate to avoid conviction. Under the Constitution, at least 16 of the 24 senator-judges must vote to convict in order to remove an impeachable official from office.
Still, Chua said past impeachment cases showed that senators’ positions can shift once evidence is presented during trial.
“Sa lahat ng mga naging impeachment trial, nagsimula po talaga lahat ng walang sapat na bilang,” he explained.
“Ang pagkakaalam ko po noong panahon ni Chief Justice Corona, nagsimula po sila na pipito lamang ang senador na sang-ayon dito. Pero nung nagkabotohan na, nung naipresenta na lahat ng ebidensya, umabot na siya ng bente,” he added, referring to the 2012 impeachment conviction of former Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Chua also emphasized the importance of public participation and media scrutiny throughout the proceedings, saying transparency would be crucial in ensuring fairness in the trial.
“Napakalaki ng papel ng taumbayan at lalong-lalo na ang media kagaya po [ng media] na bantayan itong impeachment trial,” Chua said.
“Kasi po ito lamang ang paraan para makakuha po tayo ng hustisya na patas,” he added.
The House prosecutor revealed that the prosecution team is already preparing for possible legal obstacles and procedural challenges that could arise once the Senate formally convenes as an impeachment court.
“Isa po yan sa paghahanda namin na yung mga possible na legal obstacles na ikakaharap po namin,” he said.
According to Chua, members of the prosecution panel have begun dividing responsibilities among themselves based on the different Articles of Impeachment filed against Duterte.
As chair of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, Chua led congressional investigations into the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education during Duterte’s tenure.
He said he is currently assigned to handle impeachment articles involving alleged ill-gotten wealth, confidential funds, and bribery.
“Well hindi pa naman po ito final, pero lumalabas po tatlong article ang assignment po natin—yung sa ill-gotten wealth, ‘yung sa confidential funds, at doon sa bribery,” Chua said.
The prosecution panel is also screening private lawyers who may assist the House prosecutors during the trial, along with identifying witnesses who could testify before the impeachment court.
One possible witness is Ramil Madriaga, the self-confessed bagman who earlier testified during House Committee on Justice hearings and linked himself to the handling of confidential funds.
“Nasa proseso po kami ng pagve-vetting ng mga tutulong sa amin na mga private lawyer o private prosecutors under our direction and supervision,” Chua said.
The Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court at 3 p.m. on Monday, marking the formal start of proceedings after the House of Representatives impeached Duterte with 257 lawmakers voting in favor, 25 against, and nine abstentions.
The vice president faces allegations involving misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats against top government officials.
May 17, 2026
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