House may lose 2 prosecutors in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

SEAT SECURED All but two of the 11-member prosecuting team have won in their respective bids to return to the House of Representatives. —Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives may have to recruit at least two new members for its 11-member prosecuting team for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, which is expected to start in July with the opening of the 20th Congress.

Based on partial, unofficial results from the Commission on Elections as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, reelectionist General Santos City Rep. Loreto Acharon is in second place in the legislative race in his district, while Ako Bicol party list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon, who ran for Albay representative in the first district, has conceded to former Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman.

READ: Senate race seen as critical to Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial

Both Acharon and Bongalon are assistant House majority leaders under the 19th Congress, which will resume sessions on June 2. Its members will serve until June 13.

READ: Over 95% of local election returns now at Comelec servers

Other House prosecutors, such as Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor, and Bukidnon Rep. Jonahan Keith Flores, won by comfortable margins over their closest rivals, while Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Arnan Panaligan ran unopposed.

Manila Rep. Joel Chua, the House committee on good government and public accountability chair, was reelected in the city’s third district by a margin of some 3,500 votes.

Duterte had aggressively campaigned for Chua’s rival in Manila, Apple Nieto.

Rep. Marcelino Libanan, who has been designated the House lead prosecutor in the impeachment trial, is also set to be reelected as his 4Ps party list group, which stands for Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino, garnered the fourth-highest votes nationwide. Libanan is the group’s first nominee.

Another member of the prosecutor team is Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, who also ran for another term under the 1-Rider party list group, which is currently ranked 28th overall based on Comelec data. /cb/abc