Public to get online access to impeachment trial records

MANILA – The Senate impeachment court will make electronic records of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte accessible to the public through the Senate website, Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Monday.

Escudero directed the Clerk of Court to create the necessary web pages for the uploading of pleadings, memoranda, motions, and other filings by the parties, citing the constitutional policy of public disclosure in matters of public interest.

The journal of proceedings will also be uploaded, but only after approval by the impeachment court.

READ: Bam eyes public release of Sara Duterte impeachment trial evidence

“Consistent with Article 2, Section 28 of the Constitution on the policy of public disclosure in matters involving public interest and to give life to the directive under the rules to open the impeachment proceedings to the public, the Court hereby directs the Clerk of Court to create the necessary Internet web pages,” Escudero said.

Senator-judge Bam Aquino welcomed the move but sought a clear timetable, saying public access would lose its purpose if the records were uploaded too late.

“If this is made available to the public six months from now or one year from now, that defeats the purpose of having this made public,” Aquino said.

Escudero assured him this would not happen, noting that the articles of impeachment and their annexes, as well as the answer and its annexes, had already been uploaded.

He said the Clerk of Court had started preparing the online records, although the process had yet to be completed due to the volume of documents, which he said involved more than 10,000 records.

READ: Impeachment court returns Sara Duterte’s alleged tax records to BIR

Escudero said he would give senator-judges an update before the end of the week on a realistic timetable for uploading records “in real time,” except for the journals that require court approval.

Aquino then clarified that the Clerk of Court would endeavor to upload all presented evidence in real time as soon as possible, except for the journal of proceedings.

“That is correct,” Escudero replied. (PNA)

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.