Impeachment court urged to warn spokesperson after claiming 'verdict' expected December 16

Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo urged the Senate impeachment court to admonish its spokesperson, lawyer Reginald Tongol, over his statement to the media that a verdict in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial could be issued by December 16.

Tulfo raised the matter during the 33rd day of the trial, saying Tongol’s remarks had prompted people to contact him over the weekend and question whether the senator-judges had already reached a decision on the case.

“Maybe we should give a warning to our spokesperson. People were calling me over the weekend, saying we have prejudged the outcome since Atty. Tongol told the media that we will have a final verdict by December 16,” Tulfo said.

The senator-judge’s call came after the impeachment court had previously cautioned the prosecution and defense spokespersons against issuing statements to the media about the proceedings.

Presiding officer Francis Escudero, however, clarified that Tongol’s reference to December 16 was drawn from the court’s pre-trial order, which laid out the projected timetable for the presentation of evidence by both sides.

Escudero explained that the date was reached through a mathematical computation based on the 61 days requested by the prosecution to present its evidence and the 30 days sought by the defense.

“That is based on the calendar in the pre-trial order. It is based on math. It is not based on the realities on the ground,” Escudero said.

Tulfo nevertheless maintained that Tongol should be admonished, noting that he believed the spokesperson had repeatedly made pronouncements that could get ahead of the senator-judges.

“It is about time we admonish him. This is not the first time. Maraming beses na syang sumablay, pumalpak," he said.

"Buti pa sya marami siyang alam, eh itong mga senator-judges mga kasamahan ko there are things na hindi namin alam, nabubulaga na lamang kami kapag nagdakdak sya sa media, kumbaga inuunahan nya tayo, pine-preempt nya tayo,” Tulfo said.

Escudero said he would take Tulfo’s request “in advisement.”