Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio gestures during a press briefing at the Cybergate building in Mandaluyong City on September 25, 2024. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA — A member of the House of Representatives' prosecution team is hopeful Senate President Francis Escudero will still grant their request to issue a summons to compel Vice President Sara Duterte to answer the articles of impeachment against her.

The House prosecution panel filed the motion before the Senate on March 25 but Escudero in a press conference thumbed down the request.

House prosecutors ask Senate: Direct Sara Duterte to answer articles of impeachment

Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said they were unsure if the motion was formally rejected.

“I am not certain kung nagkaroon ba ng official response si Senate president or was it only by way of his pronouncement before the media... We are somehow optimistic. Since wala pa naman denial ng motion, eh baka i-coconsider pa. Let's hope and see na baka magbabago pa ang pag-iisip ng ating Senate president,” she said in an online interview.

(I am not certain if the Senate president has issued an official response or was it only by way of his pronouncement before the media... We are somehow optimistic. Since there has been no formal denial of the motion, he might still reconsider)

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Escudero earlier said the procedure should be done once the impeachment court has been convened, which he said they cannot do while on break.

"Kasi kung walang official response (If there is no official response), then I wish to believe that we have reason to continue hoping that having the Vice President around already, the Senate President might consider resolving the motion  of the prosecutors to issue writ of summons,” Luistro said.

The lawmaker said she is uncertain if other members of the 11-member prosecution team have received a formal response from Escudero.

Prosecutors meeting in small groups to focus on assigned VP Sara 'offense'

Luistro likewise welcomed Vice President Duterte's return to the Philippines after nearly a month in the Netherlands to arrange her father's legal team for his case at the International Criminal Court.

“To be very honest, ako I appreciate that as a positive action of the Vice President. I interpret that as her willingness to face the impeachment trial," Luistro said.

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According to the proposed timeline of the Senate, the actual impeachment trial will begin on July 30.

Luistro said the prosecution team’s preparations are ongoing, as they meet in small groups to focus on the seven Articles of Impeachment.

Batangas rep explains why House opted for 4th complaint to impeach VP Sara Duterte

Duterte is facing trial on charges “violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption and other high crimes” for alleged misuse of her confidential funds and a supposed assassination plot against Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

'Filipinos are watching': Senate urged to kick off impeachment trial of VP Sara Duterte

The Vice President has denied the alleged misuse of confidential funds, while she said her remark on the supposed assassination were taken out of context.

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