By Atty. Dino De Leon
(Editor’s Note: This press release was revised as a first-person narrative)
As a human rights and public interest lawyer, I felt compelled on Friday, July 17, 2026, to warn the public and the court about a growing danger: prolonged procedural debates during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could easily trigger “impeachment fatigue”.
I firmly believe the impeachment court must guard against allowing these proceedings to resemble an ordinary criminal trial. We cannot let this process become unnecessarily protracted, where lengthy technical motions and procedural disputes consume months or even years.
While I respect that due process and strict adherence to the rules of the impeachment court must always be maintained, senator-judges need to stay focused on the core constitutional issues rather than allowing repeated technical arguments to stall progress.
Importante ang due process. Ngunit hindi dapat maubos ang oras sa paulit-ulit na teknikal na argumento na hindi naman tumutugon sa pinakapuso ng kaso. Ang tanong sa impeachment ay hindi kung may naipakitang krimen lampas sa makatwirang pagdududa. Ang tanong ay kung nananatili pa bang karapat-dapat sa tiwala ng publiko ang isang mataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan.
(Due process is important. However, time should not be wasted on repeated technical arguments that do not address the very heart of the case. The question in an impeachment is not whether a crime has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The question is whether a high-ranking government official remains worthy of the public’s trust.)
To me, the distinction is clear: unlike a criminal case where the objective is to establish criminal liability beyond a reasonable doubt, impeachment is a constitutional mechanism designed to protect public office and preserve the public’s trust.
Habang tumatagal ang paglilitis dahil sa mga usaping procedural, tumataas ang panganib na mawalan ng pasensya ang publiko. Kapag nangyari iyon, hindi lamang ang interes ng taumbayan ang naaapektuhan kundi pati ang kredibilidad ng proseso ng impeachment mismo.
(As the trial drags on due to procedural issues, the risk of the public losing patience increases. When that happens, it is not only the people’s interests that are affected, but also the credibility of the impeachment process itself.)
That is why I am urging both the prosecution and the defense to present their evidence efficiently and steer clear of unnecessary delays. The impeachment court must fulfill its constitutional duty without losing the confidence and attention of the Filipino people.
