“Welcome” para kay House Assistant Majority Leader at Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun ang posibilidad na madagdag sina dating senador Leila De Lima at Atty. Chel Diokno sa House prosecution panel para sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte, tinawag itong “powerful reinforcement” para sa paghahanap ng hustisya.
“With some prosecutors unable to continue in the 20th Congress, we welcome the possibility of including new members like former Sen. De Lima and Atty. (Chel) Diokno in the prosecution panel. Kung tutuusin, walang mas angkop na makasama… De Lima endured years of unjust detention. Diokno has defended countless victims of abuse,” aniya.
“They are both lawyers, both consistent defenders of human rights, and both long-time critics of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs—exactly the kind of voices we need to restore accountability,” punto ni Khonghun.
Una nang napaulat na walo lang sa 11-man House prosecution panel ang mananatiling kongresista sa 20th Congress, kaya naman kinakailangang mapunan ang nasabing kakulangan.
Nakatakdang magbalik-Kongreso si De Lima bilang kinatawan ng Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list, habang nangunguna naman sa mga nahalal na party-list organizations nitong midterm elections ang Akbayan Party-list, na ang first nominee ay si Diokno.
“Their presence would send a clear message: the House is serious about this impeachment,” dagdag ni Khonghun.
Sa Hulyo, lilitisin si VP Sara sa Senado, na magsisilbing impeachment court, sa hindi pa rin niya maipaliwanag na paggastos sa P612.5-million confidential funds, falsification of documents, at culpable violation of the Constitution, partikular sa pagsasabing may kinontrata na siya para ipapatay sina President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, at House Speaker Martin Romualdez, sakaling may pumatay sa kanya.
“This is bigger than politics. This is about restoring the people’s faith in public institutions. And if leaders like incoming Reps. De Lima and Diokno are willing to help prosecute the case, the House should welcome them with open arms,” sabi pa ni Khonghun.