During a recent hearing, the prosecution in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial invoked the precedent set during the 2012 impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona. Prosecutor Chel Diokno argued for the admissibility of financial records from before Duterte's vice presidency, citing the Corona case as justification.
The court's previous decision to accept evidence from Corona's pre-judicial tenure is central to this argument. Diokno pointed out that two senator-judges from the Corona trial, Chiz Escudero and Alan Peter Cayetano, played pivotal roles in discussions about what constitutes relevant evidence.
Historical Context of Evidence in Impeachment Trials
This matter was taken up in caucus, after which this court decided to allow such evidence.
Chel Diokno, Prosecutor
Diokno referenced a key moment during Corona's trial when Cayetano insisted that evidence from prior to Corona's appointment as chief justice was essential for understanding the entirety of the charges against him. This historical perspective aims to bolster the prosecution's stance that similar principles should apply in Duterte's case.
The prosecution's strategy hinges on demonstrating that Duterte's wealth accumulation is inconsistent with her reported financial status. They argue that access to earlier financial documents will provide context to the claims of unexplained wealth, paralleling how the Corona case unfolded.