The House prosecution panel has decided to withdraw three articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte and retain only Article 2, which covers the alleged unexplained wealth. Lead Public Prosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro announced this before the Senate impeachment court on Tuesday.

“This decision to withdraw, drop the three of four articles, retaining only article 2, unexplained wealth, is being done after careful consideration of all the interest of the parties involved,” she said

Luistro said that the prosecution never intended to disregard the resources already spent for the trial.

“It is never the intention of the prosecution to disregard the resources which were spent already by the impeachment court in as far as this trial is concerned,” she said

She added that the prosecution also did not intend to cause unfairness or injustice for Vice President Sara Duterte. Instead, she said, the decision was carefully considered and would be beneficial to the impeachment court, for the public, and even for the respondent.

“Neither is it the intention of the prosecution to cause unfairness or injustice on the part of the respondent,” she said

“As a matter of fact, Your Honor, this decision was arrived at after a careful study of what is best for the impeachment court, for the public, and even for the respondent,” she added

However, Lead Defense Counsel Atty. Sheila Sison responded, saying the burden lies with the prosecution if it drops the three articles of impeachment

“So kung pahihinain ng pagwi-withdraw ng tatlong articles ang kaso na ito ng prosekusyon, that’s theirs to bear. That’s their burden; it’s not the defense burden,” she said

In relation to the lengthy presentation of articles and the sudden declaration of withdrawal of three articles, Sison stressed that the public spent time for 38 days to watch the trial, and there are also government resources utilized to fund the trial.

“And the defense will proceed as it deems fit lalo na sa pagkakataong ito na gumugol ang taong-bayan ng 38 araw,” she said

“Gumugol tayo ng government resources para sa trial na ito,” she added

Hence, Sison believes that if only the three articles are to be withdrawn, the entire articles of impeachment should also be dismissed.

“The withdrawal should already be one of the reasons why the articles of impeachment, entire articles of impeachment, should be dismissed,” Sison said