House lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro delivers the opening statement in behalf of the prosecution panel, in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, on Monday, July 6. (Video courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)
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NewsTranscript
00:00Mr. Presiding Officer, the Honorable Chief Escudero, the Honorable Senate President, Honorable Wynne Gatchelian,
00:12sa atin pong mga kagalanggalang na Senator Judges, mga minamahal na kababayan, sa loob ng bulwagan o sa labasman,
00:27mga nakatutok sa telebisyon, sa cellphone o sa radyo, saang sulok man ang mundo, kayo naroon.
00:38Maraming Pilipino ang nagtatanong ngayon, bakit mahalaga ang paglilitis na ito?
00:47Ano ang kaugnayan nito sa buhay ng ordinaryong Pilipino?
00:54Lubos po naming nauunawaan ang mga tanong na yan.
00:59Sa katunayan, may isang driver na nagtatanong,
01:04Paano sasapat ang kita sa pasada upang mapakain niya ang kanyang pamilya?
01:12May isang OFW na nagtatanong,
01:16Hanggang kailan kailangan lumayo upang mapaaral niya ang kanyang mga anak?
01:22May isang guro na nagtatanong,
01:25Paano pagkakasyahin ang kanyang sahod sa dami ng utang na hinuhulugan?
01:31May isang manggagawa na nagtatanong hanggang kailan magtitiis sa pansamantalang trabaho at kakarampot na sweldo.
01:42Sa unang tingin, maaring sabihin na malayo sa buhay nila ang paglilitis na ito.
01:52Ngunit hindi, hindi po,
01:56sapagkat ang usapin ngayon ay patungkol sa isang bagay na pag-aari nilang lahat.
02:03Ang kanilang pera,
02:06ang kanilang tiwala,
02:08ang kanilang karapatan na maningil ng pananagutan
02:12mula sa mga pinuno na kanilang pinagkatiwalaan.
02:18Kapag ang isang empleyado
02:20ay nagkamali ng paggamit ng pera ng kumpanya,
02:25siya ay pinagpapaliwanan.
02:29Kapag ang isang barangay treasurer
02:31hindi may paliwanag ang nawawalang pondo,
02:35siya ay iniimbestigahan.
02:38Kapag ang isang prinsipal
02:41ay naglustay ng pera ng bayan,
02:44kahit liman libo lang yan,
02:46siya ay pinaparusahan.
02:49Natural lamang na magtanong ang sambayanan.
02:52Kung ang ordinaryong Pilipino
02:56ay pinapanagot,
02:59bakit hindi
03:00ang pinakamakapangyarihan
03:03na opisyal ng pamahalaan?
03:06Ito ang dahilan
03:08kung bakit mahalaga
03:10ang paglilitis na ito.
03:13Hindi upang usigil ang isang tao,
03:17hindi upang maghiganti sa kalaban,
03:20hindi upang manalo sa politika,
03:22kundi upang sagutin
03:24ang isang tanong
03:27na napakahalaga
03:28sa kinabukasan ng ating Republika.
03:33May saysay pa ba
03:34ang pananagutan sa ating bansa?
03:39Sa pagkatangkasong ito
03:41ay higit at lampas
03:44sa sino mang opisyal,
03:47higit at lampas
03:49sa anumang partido,
03:51higit at lampas
03:53sa alinmang administrasyon.
03:57Your Honors,
03:59the framers of the Constitution
04:01understood
04:02that there may come a day
04:05when extraordinary power
04:07would be entrusted
04:09to extraordinary office.
04:11they also understood
04:13that there may come a day
04:15when trust would be broken.
04:19And that is why
04:20they gave the House of Representatives
04:23the power to impeach
04:25in the Senate
04:27the duty to judge.
04:30Not to punish
04:32political opponents,
04:34not to settle
04:36political scores,
04:38but to protect
04:39the Republic itself.
04:43That is why
04:45the Constitution declares
04:46public office
04:49is a public trust.
04:52Ang kapangyarihan
04:53ay hindi pag-aari
04:55ng sino mang opisyal.
04:58Hiram lamang ito
04:59sa taong bayan.
05:01At ito ang dahilan
05:03kung bakit
05:05naririto tayo ngayon.
05:07Your Honors,
05:10the prosecution
05:11will present
05:12exactly what
05:14the Constitution
05:15requires.
05:17Evidence,
05:19hindi chismes,
05:22hindi haka-haka,
05:24hindi propaganda,
05:26at lalong hindi
05:27sokmed narrative.
05:30Evidence,
05:31official records,
05:34financial documents,
05:36government reports,
05:38video recording,
05:39statements under oath,
05:41independent findings
05:43of institutions
05:45created by law.
05:47Mga dokumento
05:49na hindi bumoboto.
05:52Mga records
05:54na walang partido.
05:56Mga katotohanan
05:58na walang kulay
05:59pampolitika.
06:00Sa unang tingin,
06:04maaring magmukhang
06:06magkakahiwalay
06:07ang four articles
06:08of impeachment.
06:10Confidential fund,
06:12unexplained wealth,
06:14bribery and corruption,
06:16threat against
06:17constitutional order.
06:18But these are not
06:20four separate stories.
06:23These are four chapters
06:25of the same story.
06:28Story about power
06:30exercised
06:31without accountability.
06:33Story about
06:35public trust
06:36betrayed.
06:37Story about
06:38public office
06:39that stopped
06:41answering to the public.
06:43On the first article
06:45of impeachment,
06:47the evidence
06:48will show
06:48that more than
06:50612 million pesos
06:51in confidential fund
06:53entrusted
06:54to the office
06:55of the vice president
06:56and the department
06:58of education
06:59were disbursed,
07:01transferred
07:01and liquidated
07:02under circumstances
07:04that cannot
07:05withstand scrutiny.
07:08612 million pesos.
07:11Hindi ito
07:12pera ng gobyerno.
07:14Pera ito
07:15ng sambayanan.
07:16Pera ng manggagawa.
07:18Pera ng magsasaka.
07:19Pera ng OFW.
07:21Pera ng guro.
07:23Pera ng bawat
07:24Pilipino
07:25na nagpabayad
07:26ng buwis
07:26at nagtitiwala
07:28na gagamitin ito
07:29ng tama.
07:31The evidence
07:32will show
07:32liquidation reports
07:34supported by
07:35questionable documents.
07:37The evidence
07:38will show
07:39acknowledgement receipts
07:40bearing names
07:42government records
07:43could not verify.
07:45Names that
07:46transformed
07:47accountability
07:48into a
07:49mackery.
07:50Pananagutan
07:51na naging
07:52kalukuhan.
07:53Names that
07:54insulted the
07:55intelligence of
07:56the Filipino people.
07:57Mary Grace
07:58Piatos,
07:59Milky Sikuya,
08:01Coco Villamin.
08:02On the second
08:04article of impeachment,
08:05the evidence
08:07will show
08:07financial transactions
08:09involving
08:11billions of pesos
08:12associated
08:13with the
08:14respondent
08:14and her
08:15husband.
08:17Billions.
08:19Hindi
08:19milyon,
08:20bilyon.
08:22At habang
08:23milyon-milyong
08:23Pilipino
08:24ang nagtratrabaho
08:26at nag-iipon
08:27buong buhay
08:28upang magkaroon
08:30ng sariling
08:30pahay,
08:31makapagpaaral
08:32ng mga
08:33anak,
08:33magkaroon
08:34ng konting
08:35siguridad
08:35para sa
08:35pamilya.
08:36Aba,
08:37bilyon-bilyong
08:39piso
08:39ang dumaan
08:40sa mga
08:41bank accounts
08:41na hindi
08:42may paliwanag
08:43ng maayos.
08:44This article
08:46is not
08:46about
08:46wealth.
08:48This is
08:49about
08:50accountability.
08:51This is
08:52about
08:52explanation.
08:54If
08:55wealth
08:55was
08:56lawfully
08:56acquired,
08:57where
08:58is the
08:59lawful
08:59explanation?
09:01If
09:02transactions
09:03were
09:03proper,
09:04where
09:05is the
09:05complete
09:05accounting?
09:06if
09:08numbers
09:08truly
09:08add
09:09up,
09:09then why
09:10do they
09:11refuse
09:11to
09:11reconcile?
09:13On the
09:14third article
09:15of impeachment,
09:17the evidence
09:17will show
09:18bribery,
09:19graft,
09:20and corruption
09:20through the
09:22distribution of
09:22cash payments
09:23and monetary
09:24gifts to
09:25officials under
09:27the supervision
09:28of the
09:28respondent.
09:30This article
09:31is not
09:31simply about
09:32envelopes.
09:34This is
09:35about
09:35institutions.
09:36This is
09:38about
09:38whether
09:38loyalty
09:39was
09:39purchased
09:40rather than
09:41earned.
09:42Government
09:43cannot
09:44function
09:45if
09:46loyalty
09:46is
09:47purchased
09:47instead
09:48of
09:48earned.
09:49Kapag
09:50nabibili
09:51ang
09:52katapatan,
09:53nawawala
09:54ang
09:54integridad.
09:56At
09:57kapag
09:57nabibili
09:58ang
09:58opisyal,
10:00nabubudol
10:01ang
10:02bayan.
10:04Perhaps
10:05the greatest
10:06tragedy
10:07is where
10:08the conduct
10:09allegedly
10:10occurred.
10:11In the
10:13Department
10:13of Education,
10:16tama po
10:17sa
10:17tip it,
10:19the institution
10:20entrusted
10:21with teaching
10:22future
10:22generations
10:23honesty,
10:25responsibility,
10:27integrity.
10:28On the
10:29fourth article
10:30of impeachment,
10:32the evidence
10:32will show
10:33culpable
10:33violation
10:34of the
10:34Constitution,
10:36high crime,
10:37betrayal
10:38of public
10:39trust,
10:40through conduct
10:41that threatens
10:42constitutional
10:42order.
10:43Among
10:45all
10:45allegations
10:46before
10:46this
10:46court,
10:48none
10:48strikes
10:48more
10:49directly
10:50at the
10:50heart
10:50of
10:51constitutional
10:51order
10:52than
10:52this
10:53one.
10:54Ito
10:54na po
10:55ang
10:55pinakamatindi.
10:57And
10:57unlike
10:57in many
10:58cases,
10:59which
11:00depends
11:00upon
11:00competing
11:01accounts,
11:02this
11:02evidence
11:03comes
11:04substantially
11:04from
11:05the
11:05respondent's
11:06own
11:07recorded
11:08public
11:08statements.
11:10The
11:11court
11:12will
11:12see
11:12them.
11:13The
11:14court
11:14will
11:14hear
11:15them.
11:15The
11:16court
11:16will
11:16judge
11:17them.
11:18Public
11:19officials
11:20may
11:20disagree.
11:22We
11:23may
11:23criticize
11:23one
11:24another.
11:25They
11:26may
11:26compete
11:26fiercely
11:27for
11:27power.
11:28That
11:29is
11:29democracy.
11:31But
11:32democracy
11:33ends
11:33when
11:35violence
11:36begins.
11:38sa
11:39kasaysayan
11:40ng
11:40ating
11:40republika,
11:42walang
11:43vice
11:43presidente
11:44na may
11:45kaibigan
11:46na hitman.
11:47Ngayon
11:48lang.
11:50Walang
11:51vice
11:51presidente
11:52na
11:52nagpapapatay
11:53ng
11:53pangulo.
11:54Ngayon
11:55lang.
11:56Walang
11:57vice
11:57presidente
11:58na
11:58hantang
11:59magpapatay
12:00para
12:00lamang
12:01makaupo
12:02sa
12:02pwesto.
12:03Ngayon
12:03lang.
12:05The
12:06constitution
12:07provides
12:07many
12:08means
12:08on
12:09how
12:09to
12:09resolve
12:10political
12:10conflict.
12:12Election,
12:15legislation,
12:16public
12:17debate,
12:18judicial
12:18review,
12:19and even
12:19impeachment.
12:21But
12:22it does
12:23not
12:23permit
12:24threats.
12:25It
12:26does
12:26not
12:27permit
12:27violence.
12:29It
12:29does
12:30not
12:30permit
12:30people
12:31entrusted
12:32with
12:32power
12:32to
12:33place
12:34themselves
12:34above
12:35constitutional
12:36restraints.
12:39Your
12:40honours,
12:41at the
12:42center of
12:42this case
12:43lies a
12:44simple
12:44question,
12:46perhaps
12:46the most
12:47important
12:48to any
12:49republic.
12:51When the
12:52people
12:52entrust
12:53power to
12:54a public
12:54official,
12:55does the
12:56public
12:56official
12:57remain
12:58accountable
12:58to the
12:59people,
13:00or do
13:01the
13:01people
13:01become
13:02accountable
13:03to the
13:03public
13:04official?
13:06The
13:07Constitution's
13:07answer
13:08is very
13:08clear.
13:10Power
13:11belongs
13:11to the
13:12people.
13:14Public
13:14office
13:15is merely
13:15barrowed,
13:17and
13:17every
13:18barrowed
13:18power
13:18carries
13:19with it
13:20the
13:20obligation
13:21to
13:21account
13:22for
13:22its
13:22use.
13:24If
13:25a
13:25barangay
13:26treasurer
13:26must
13:28account
13:28for
13:28public
13:29fund,
13:30then
13:30so
13:30must
13:32the
13:32vice
13:32president.
13:33If
13:34an
13:35ordinary
13:35public
13:36servant
13:36can
13:37be
13:37investigated,
13:38then
13:38so
13:39can
13:40the
13:40highest
13:40officials
13:41of the
13:41government.
13:42If
13:43ordinary
13:44citizen
13:45is
13:45expected
13:46to
13:46obey
13:47the
13:47rules,
13:48then
13:48surely
13:48those
13:50who
13:50govern
13:50them
13:50must
13:52obey
13:52them
13:52first.
13:54otherwise,
13:56what
13:57lessons
13:57do we
13:58teach
13:58our
13:58children?
14:00That
14:01there
14:01is
14:01law
14:02for
14:02the
14:02powerful
14:02and
14:04another
14:04for
14:04everyone
14:05else?
14:07That
14:07accountability
14:08exists
14:09only
14:10for the
14:10weak?
14:12That
14:13public
14:13office
14:13grants
14:14immunity
14:15against
14:15accountability?
14:18Your
14:18Honors,
14:20this
14:21is not
14:21the
14:22republic
14:22envisioned
14:23by the
14:24Constitution.
14:26This
14:27is not
14:27the
14:28republic
14:28deserved
14:29by the
14:30Filipino
14:30people.
14:32Therefore,
14:34the
14:35prosecution
14:36asks
14:36only
14:36this.
14:38Look
14:39at the
14:39evidence.
14:41Listen
14:42to the
14:43witnesses.
14:45Examine
14:45the
14:46records.
14:48Follow
14:48the
14:48evidence
14:49wherever
14:49it
14:50leads.
14:51Judge
14:52this
14:52case
14:53not
14:53by
14:54politics,
14:55not
14:56by
14:56popularity,
14:57not
14:58by
14:58fear,
14:59not
15:00by
15:00loyalty.
15:02Judge
15:03this
15:03case
15:04by the
15:04Constitution.
15:06Judge
15:07this
15:07case
15:08by the
15:09evidence.
15:11Years
15:11from now,
15:13future
15:13generations
15:14will not
15:15remember
15:15today's
15:17political
15:17alliances.
15:19They
15:20will not
15:21remember
15:21today's
15:22headlines.
15:23They
15:24will not
15:24remember
15:25today's
15:26slogans.
15:27What they
15:28will remember
15:29is when
15:30accountability
15:31was tested,
15:32the
15:33institutions
15:33of the
15:34republic
15:34stood
15:35firm.
15:36They
15:37will
15:37remember
15:37only one
15:38thing,
15:40what
15:41this
15:41court
15:41did
15:42when
15:44the
15:44Constitution
15:44called.
15:47Future
15:48generations
15:48will not
15:49ask how
15:50powerful the
15:51respondent
15:51was.
15:53They
15:54will not
15:54ask how
15:55loud the
15:55political
15:56debate
15:56became.
15:57But
15:58they will
15:59ask one
15:59thing,
16:01when the
16:02Constitution
16:03called,
16:03did
16:04the
16:05republic
16:05answer.
16:09Your
16:10honours,
16:11this is
16:12that
16:13moment.
16:15This is
16:16the moment
16:16the
16:17Constitution
16:18anticipated.
16:20This is
16:21the moment
16:21when
16:22accountability
16:22must mean
16:24exactly
16:25what it
16:25says.
16:27This is
16:28the moment
16:28when public
16:29office must
16:30truly remain
16:31a public
16:31trust.
16:32this is
16:33the moment
16:34when the
16:35republic
16:35must
16:36demonstrate
16:36that laws
16:38are applied
16:39equally
16:39to the
16:41powerful
16:41and the
16:42powerless
16:43alike.
16:45At
16:46matapos
16:46marinig
16:47ang mga
16:47saksi,
16:49matapos
16:50masuri
16:51ang mga
16:51dokumento,
16:53matapos
16:53matimbang
16:54lahat
16:54ng
16:55ebidensya,
16:57ang
16:57prosekusyon
16:58ay
17:00naniniwala
17:01at
17:01naninindigan
17:02isa
17:04lamang
17:04ang
17:05maliwanag
17:05na
17:05konklusyon.
17:07Ang
17:08tiwalang
17:08ipinaggaloob
17:10ay
17:10nilabag.
17:11Ang
17:12kapangyarihang
17:13ipinahiram
17:14ay
17:14inabuso.
17:16At
17:17ang
17:17konstitusyon
17:18mismo
17:18ang
17:19humihingi
17:20ng
17:20pananagutan.
17:23Amid
17:23the
17:24clarity
17:25of the
17:25mandate
17:26of the
17:26Constitution,
17:28political
17:29noise
17:29continues.
17:30political
17:32squabbles
17:32continues.
17:34Political
17:35division
17:35continues.
17:36Please,
17:37let me
17:38conclude.
17:40Salus
17:40populi
17:41es
17:41suprema
17:42lex.
17:43The
17:44welfare
17:44of the
17:44people
17:45is the
17:45supreme
17:46law.
17:48Thank you,
17:50Your
17:50Honor.
18:00is
18:00the
18:00one
18:00man
18:01is
18:02the
18:02one
18:02one
18:02one
18:02one
18:03one
18:03one,
18:03one
18:03one
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