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GMA Network
2 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Zubiri calls VP Sara impeachment a witch hunt; House prosecutors slam ‘insult'
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Tuesday described the looming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte as a "witch hunt," which in turn drew a sharp rebuke from House prosecutors. 'I think that it is a witch hunt because they want to remove her from public service; para 'yung iba makaupo [so that others may take her place]. At 'yung iba ay mawawalan ng kandidato na kalaban pagdating sa halalan ng 2028,' Zubiri alleged. (And some people will lose a rival in the 2028 election.) Still, Zubiri said, the Senate impeachment court will have to do what is right. 'I'll set my bias aside because we have to follow the process. There is a process under the Constitution. It cannot be changed. If we violate that, then we violate our oath of office when we say that we will defend and protect the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines. We have to do what is right here,' he said. Article 11 Section 4 of the Constitution states that, 'In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.' The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers—more than the one-third required—endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes over alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and for threatening to kill President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza and his Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte. The trial, after delays, is expected to start after the 20th Congress opens session on July 28. 'Insult to the House' At least two House prosecutors, Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor of Iloilo and ML party-list Representative Leila de Lima, pushed back against Zubiri's remark. '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. Those words should not come from a Senator-judge who is expected to receive the evidence with impartiality and to treat the impeachment as a constitutional process,' Defensor told reporters. 'Sana hindi na maulit yun [I hope that does not happen again]. Maybe let's limit our statements to how the process should go about during the trial, and not on the substance, Let's wait for the evidence and let's wait for their decision instead of calling it a witch hunt,' he said. Defensor stressed that the impeachment is a constitutional process that must be adhered to, not an action taken whenever a person sees fit. 'This is a constitutional process which must proceed to find justice not for the complainants, but for the Filipinos. If it's an acquittal, we should accept it. If it's a conviction, we should accept it. But they [senators] should receive the evidence first,' he said. De Lima, for her part, said Zubiri's comment is unfair, given the gravity of the allegations against the Vice President. 'It's really unfortunate. It's an insult to the House as the initiator of the impeachment process, and an insult to the various groups that filed those first three impeachment complaints,' she said. "That's so unfair because as far as the House is concerned, may batayan [there is a foundation]. Kaya nga in-impeach, pinirmahan ng more than one-third of the members of the House of Representatives,' de Lima added. (That is why more than one-third of all members of the House signed off on this.) De Lima said senator-judges should avoid making public their biases on the impeachment. "Ibig sabihin ng witch hunt, walang batayan, para lang mang-harass, para lang i-persecute ka. Yun ang ibig sabihin ng witch hunt, which is far from the very characteristics of this impeachment trial. So sana they avoid mga ganyan mga comments which exhibit their personal biases with respect to the impeachment issues," de Lima said. (In a witch hunt there is no basis, and is only to harass and persecute. That is what a witch hunt means, which is far from the very characteristics of this impeachment trial. So I wish they would avoid these kinds of comments, which exhibit their personal biases with respect to the impeachment issues.) "Witch hunt is out of the question here. You talk about witch hunt kung walang basahan [if there is no basis]. Pwede yun siguro dun sa mga ginawa nila sa akin [You can use it to describe what they did to me]. The past administration, kinusuhan na po ng mga [they charged me with] trumped-up bogus charges, yung witch hunt kangaroo hearing," she added. The legislator also criticized Zubiri's pronouncement that despite his biases, he still wants the impeachment trial to continue because they have to follow what is stated in the Constitution. "Parang pro forma na lang. Yun ang parang pinaka-sense noong kanyang sinasabi. Kailangan sundin ang konstitusyon pero pro forma na lang yan. I mean, 'yun ang interpretation ko sa mga sinabi niya. It's really unfortunate. It's an insult to the House as the initiator of the impeachment process. Also an insult to the various groups that filed those first three impeachment complaints bago nag-adopt diretso yung [before the fourth was adopted by] more than one-third of the members of the House," de Lima stressed. (It sounds as if they're doing it pro forma. That's the sense from what he's saying. The Constitution must be followed but only as a matter of form. I mean, that's how I interpret what he said.) She also added that Duterte should take this opportunity to clear her name. "At hindi ba dapat i-welcome ito ni VP Sara? Kasi ngayon ang pagkakataon na ihayag niya yung kanyang mga depensa, i-explain niya yung mga akusasyon laban sa kanya. At hindi ba pag wala namang kasalanan, dapat hindi matakot? Akala ko ba, because she's been saying about, she said before about the bloodbath pero bakit gusto niyang ipa-dismiss yung impeachment case," de Lima said. (And shouldn't VP Sara welcome this? this is her opportunity to put forward her defense against the allegations against her. And isn't it, 'If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear?' And she talked about the bloodbath so why does she want the impeachment case dismissed.) — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
30-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
House prosecutor: Swear in senators as impeach trial judges pronto
To ensure that the Senate convenes into an impeachment court before the 19th Congress ends, an impeachment prosecutor recommended Friday that senators take their oath as impeachment court judges immediately after the Articles of Impeachment are read in a Senate session on June 11. "I hope they can convene by taking their oath as senator-judges also on June 11. It's up to them how their agenda will include that. But that's the most practical way of convening the impeachment court while they are still in session," said impeachment prosecutor Lorenz Defensor, who serves as House deputy majority leader and representative of the 3rd district of Iloilo. Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero wrote the House of Representatives to say that the reading of Articles of Impeachment on June 2 has been postponed to June 11 so the Senate could prioritize approving important pieces of legislation. Based on the legislative calendar of the 19th Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives resume session from June 2 to 13 before they adjourn sine die on June 14. Congress will resume session on July 28 when the 20th Congress opens. "Further delay means that the Senate cannot constitute itself as the impeachment court if we will not hold sessions the following day on June 12, kasi holiday (because it's a holiday)," Defensor said. He added, "Meaning wala pang senador ang makaka-take oath, magtatapos na ang 19th Congress kasi mag-a-adjourn na kami sine die. So meaning, wala pa rin impeachment court by June 13, June 14. Kasi walang nag-take oath on a session day." (This means no senator will be able to take an oath as a judge. The 19th Congress would end because we will adjourn sine die. So meaning, there would still be no impeachment court by June 13, June 14, because nobody took an oath on a session day.) Abide by Senate's decision However, Defensor said he and the other impeachment prosecutors of the House of Representatives cannot do anything but abide by the Senate's decision. "I am disheartened because the delay has been long enough, but a lawyer in any court, the defense as well as the prosecution, will have to abide by whatever the court will decide on and whatever order or whatever process the Senate court will issue," Defensor said. "So tatanggapin namin 'yun. Parang abogado lang sa korte (So we will accept that, just like a lawyer in court)," he added. Lost time Defensor and another House leader, House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union 1st district Representative Paolo Ortega, expressed concern over the delay. Ortega said, "Well, may delay, may cause of delay. Doon lang tayo may konting apprehension kasi sayang 'yung oras. A few months ago, a few weeks ago, may na-set na tayo na oras tapos biglang ganito na naman." (Well, there's a delay, a cause of delay. That was our apprehension because time will be lost. A few months ago, a few weeks ago, a timeline was set then here comes a new schedule.) For his part, Defensor said, "I accept the reason for delay of the Senate President. Anyway, what is one week? And they said that they will prioritize the priority bills under the LEDAC (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council). But as for any further delay, it's very bad for democracy. It's not a good reflection of how the Senate wants to proceed with this impeachment trial." "So sana ma-reconsider ng Senado ang kanilang desisyon na ipatagal pa (Hopefully the Senate would reconsider their decision to push back the date). While we respect the decision of the Senate as the impeachment court eventually, we hope that they will uphold their duty to hold trial for this impeachment," he added. GMA Integrated News has sought comment from Escudero regarding the matter, but he has yet to respond as of posting time. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Prosecutor: Marcos' stand on VP Sara impeachment shows his independence
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.'s opposition to the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is a welcome development because it shows his respect to the looming impeachment trial proceedings, one of the House prosecutors said Wednesday. Iloilo Representative Lorenz Defensor, one of the 11 prosecutors for the impeachment trial of the Vice President, made the comments in response to the President's statement at the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia that he never wanted an impeachment case against the Vice President, saying 'Why did I have to keep explaining that I didn't want impeachment?' 'I'm glad to hear that the President, as the head of the Executive Department, will not interfere with the impeachment process,' Defensor, who is also the House Deputy Majority Leader, said. 'As the President is the most powerful man in the country, he will exert undue influence on the senator-judges and we want the senator-judges to act independently, free from any influence from the Executive Department,' he added. The President's position, Defensor said, allows the 24 senator-judges to make fair judgement. 'It's good to hear that he will not be involved so that all parties will not be judged by any undue interference from any department, considering that we have a separation of powers,' he said. Likewise, Defensor said that he wants to see the senator judges decide on the case based on the evidence presented, rather than political affiliations. 'While we agree that it's a political process and the senators have their own affiliations, we want to see a trial, an objective trial when it comes to the presentation of evidence by the prosecution as well as by the defense,' he said. Vice President Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives on February 5, with over 200 congressmen endorsing the complaint against her. She was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes mainly over alleged misuse of around P612.5 million worth of confidential funds and threatening to kill Marcos, Jr., his wife Liza, and the President's cousin and Speaker, Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez. The Vice President, for her part, said she is looking forward to her impeachment trial in the upcoming 20th Congress because she 'wants a bloodbath,'' noting that her legal team is on "full throttle" in their preparations. Under the Constitution, House impeachment prosecutors would need 16 votes or two-thirds of the 24-strong Senate to secure conviction. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
28-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
House prosecutor chosen to read articles of impeachment in VP Sara trial
The House prosecution panel has already selected which one of them will read the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate next week, but declined to name the prosecutor for now. 'While I did not personally have the chance to speak with any of the senator-judges, I understand based on the agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate that one prosecutor will be asked to read the seven Articles of Impeachment during the June 2 session of the Senate,' impeachment prosecutor and Iloilo 3rd District Representative Lorenz Defensor told reporters in an online interview. Defensor said it is not required for all 11 House impeachment prosecutors to be present at the Senate during the reading. 'I did not receive any instruction that all prosecutors are required to attend the June 2 session. But only one prosecutor will be required to read the seven articles of impeachment,' he said. The House impeachment prosecution panel had met earlier this week, the last big group meeting before their appearance at the Senate, although Defensor said smaller groups may meet again this week. He also said the 19th Congress may be ending soon but it is only their legislative duty that will be ending and not their duty relative to the impeachment. Defensor was reacting to Senator-elect Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's statement that whatever was discussed in the 19th Congress cannot be carried over to the 20th Congress. 'Tandaan natin na kapag nagtapos ang 19th Congress, ang nagtatapos lang, ang aming legislative power. Hindi natatapos ang isang impeachment proceeding na nakahain na sa Senado,' Defensor said. (Let us remember that when the 19th Congress ends, what only ends is our legislative power. An impeachment proceeding before the Senate will not be ended by that.) He compared the impeachment case to a regular case filed in court. 'Once a case is filed with the trial court, the judge may retire, the judge may get promoted, but the case stays on with the trial court. Hindi nadi-dismiss ang kaso just because napalitan ang mga judges [The case is not dismissed just because the judges are replaced],' he added. When asked if the issue may be brought before the Supreme Court, Defensor replied, 'As far as we are concerned, since the impeachment is a purely political question, the Supreme Court should not interfere with the impeachment process.' But, he added, 'We will respect whatever decision the Senate will have on this and how they will act on it, as well as the Supreme Court on how they will decide on the pending petitions.' There are two petitions before the Supreme Court: one filed by a lawyer asking the SC to compel the Senate to proceed with the trial and another filed by Vice President Sara Duterte asking the SC to block the impeachment, saying it violates the one-year ban rule. 'We also have to understand that the impeachment is the highest form of national inquest in our country. Hindi dapat pigilan ito [It must not be stopped] because the impeachment is intended to protect the people, to protect the government, from a high public official who is sitting in office and should be removed if necessary if she committed a violation of the Constitution,' Defensor stressed. When asked if a senator can choose not to take their oath as an impeachment court judge, Defensor replied, 'If you are a sitting senator and an impeachment proceeding is pending before the Senate, you have to do your constitutional duty to take your oath and act as senator-judge. Just like the prosecutors, we did not request to be prosecutors, we did not intend to be prosecutors. But we were elected by 215 members of Congress. And it is incumbent upon us to do our Constitutional duty to prosecute this impeachment complaint.' Regarding President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s pronouncements against the impeachment, Defensor said, 'The President should not be involved in the impeachment. And I'm glad to hear that the President as the head of the Executive Department will not interfere with the impeachment process. As the President is the most powerful man in the country, he will exert undue influence on the Senator judges and we want the Senator judges to act independently, free from any influence from the executive department.' — BM, GMA Integrated News
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
New Holland Launches New Line of Sprayers, Drone and Selective Spraying Solution With AI at Agrishow
CNH brand, New Holland, presented, a new Defensor Sprayer line as well as the new SaveFarm spraying solution at Agrishow 2025 in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil Control from start to finish The Defensor line can utilize IntelliSpray™ II which performs nozzle-to-nozzle sectional control and cutting, reducing waste and optimizing pesticide application. In addition, the integrated recirculation system prevents sedimentation, ensuring uniformity and maximum quality in spraying. These features ensure absolute precision in application, maximum efficiency and economy, and higher quality and stability, ensuring the best spraying even in harsh conditions. Another strong point of the new Defensor line is the cabin, designed to offer an ergonomic and safe experience. With centralized controls and a new intuitive console, the operator has more convenience and control over all machine functions. The new IntelliView 12 monitor enables precise management of spraying and operating systems, ensuring total efficiency. In addition, New Holland's app connectivity, FieldOps, enables remote monitoring of all agronomic and operational parameters. The new models also have a new advanced transmission, which increases operational capacity in the field. Individualized wheel drive provides increased performance on challenging terrain, ensuring efficiency and safety for any type of application. Economy Mode optimizes fuel consumption by automatically adjusting engine speed according to working conditions, which generates more savings without compromising performance. SaveFarm As a complementary spraying solution, New Holland officially launches SaveFarm, a selective and real-time spraying technology that uses artificial intelligence in data processing. It is available to the brand's customers as an option for the entire range of sprayers, including the current generation Defensor. SaveFarm works through sensors installed on the spray bar, allowing the identification of weeds even in applications in the middle of the already established crop (green on green) and enabling a reduction of more than 80% in the use of herbicides. Click here to read more. Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from CNH
