POSIBLE pa rin ngunit “tight” ang July 6 na pagsisimula ng impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte dahil hindi pa natatapos ng Senate impeachment court ang pagmamarka ng mga dokumento at paglalabas ng pre-trial order, ayon kay Secretary Renato Bantug.

“July 6 still the date of the start of the trial proper of the impeachment case,” sabi ni Bantug.

“While it may be difficult on the part of the court, on the part of the staff, at this point July 6 as the start of the trial proper is not yet an impossibility. Tight but not impossible,” dagdag niya.

Sinabi ni Bantug na maaaring hindi mailabas ang pre-trial order sa June 25 gaya ng naunang nakasaad sa approved impeachment trial calendar dahil hindi pa tapos ang pre-trial conference at pagmamarka ng mga dokumento.

“And tomorrow, what may happen is that we may not be able to release the pre-trial order by tomorrow,” sabi ni Bantug.

Ayon sa kanya, tila inasahan sa impeachment trial calendar na matatapos ang pre-trial at pagmamarka ng mga dokumento bago ang June 25.

“But as it happened, as it is happening now, it seems that the two at best would coincide. But obviously we cannot even issue a pre-trial order until all documents are marked, until the pre-trial is concluded,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi ni Bantug na bibigyan ang bawat panig ng tatlong araw para magkomento kapag nailabas na ang pre-trial order.

“Based on the notice of pretrial conference, each side is given 3 days to comment on the pretrial order,” sabi niya.

Nang tanungin kung aabot pa rin sa July 6 ang trial kung mailalabas ang pre-trial order sa Lunes o Martes, sinabi ni Bantug na posible pa rin ito dahil matatapos ang three-day comment period bago ang nakatakdang simula ng trial proper.

“Kaya pa rin yun. July 6 pa. Abot pa lang,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi niya na wala pang ibang petsa na pinag-uusapan para sa pagsisimula ng impeachment trial.

“Wala pa. There’s no other date that is being discussed. Still July 6,” sabi ni Bantug.

Tinalakay din ni Bantug ang mga tanong tungkol sa isang sealed box na binanggit ng prosecution, at sinabing hindi pa alam ang laman nito at tanging ang impeachment court lamang ang maaaring magpasya kung bubuksan ito at ipa-pre-mark.

“The present status is that we have a box, we have a box that is sealed, its contents unknown,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi niya na naghain ang prosecution ng manifestation na humihiling na buksan ang kahon upang ma-pre-mark ang laman nito.

“Now, in today’s manifestation, the prosecution is asking that open it so that we can pre-mark its contents,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi ni Bantug na hindi siya maaaring magdesisyon sa kahilingan bilang clerk of court, at hindi rin maaaring magpasya ang pre-trial conference sa usapin.

“Now, the pretrial conference cannot decide on that. As clerk of court, I cannot decide on that. It’s a matter that only the impeachment court can decide on,” sabi niya.

Aniya, hindi pa bahagi ng exhibit ang kahon maliban kung magpapasya ang impeachment court tungkol dito.

“Sa ngayon hindi pa. Kung wala pang decision then it remains as a box,” sabi ni Bantug.

Nilinaw din ni Bantug na magkaiba ang pre-marking at ang formal offer at admission of evidence, na magaganap pa sa susunod na bahagi ng proceedings.

“Ito naman premarking lang naman. So wala pang ruling dito? Wala pa,” sabi niya.

Sinabi niya na nakasaad sa notice of pre-trial conference na ang pre-marking ay pisikal na pagmamarka lamang ng mga ebidensiyang nais iharap ng bawat panig sa trial proper.

“In fact in the notice of the pretrial conference, it’s quite clear naman that what they’re doing is actually just premarking which is just a physical marking of all fields of evidence that each party would want to present during the trial proper,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi ni Bantug na target ng Senate impeachment court na matapos ang pre-trial conference sa loob ng linggong ito.

“I will pray. I’m hoping matapos bukas. Worst case we finish on Friday,” sabi niya.

Aniya, nais niyang ilaan ang Sabado para sa court management matters dahil may iba pang usaping kailangang tutukan ng impeachment court bukod sa pre-trial conference.

“Sabi ko kanina ang ano ko sana is at least sana masave ko yung Saturday for housekeeping meaning court management matters,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi ni Bantug na naging propesyonal ang magkabilang kampo sa kabila ng mga ulat ng sagutan sa pre-trial conference.

“Both camps are very professional. Ang dali naman kausap, nakakaikindahan kami. Communication is very easy. We all understand each other,” sabi niya.

Aniya, normal lamang ang palitan ng mga abogado sa ganitong proceedings.

“Ngayon sinasabi na kumisang nagkakaon ng konting exchanges or sagutan. That’s normal. Between lawyers that’s very usual,” sabi ni Bantug.

Kung hindi magpapasya ang impeachment court sa isyu ng sealed box bago ang trial proper, sinabi ni Bantug na maaaring nakadepende ito sa motion na maaaring ihain ng prosecution sa mismong paglilitis.

“That will now depend on the motion that will be made by the prosecution during trial proper. If a decision is not reached at this point,” sabi ni Bantug.

Sinabi niya na posible pa ring maihain ang usapin sa trial proper kung walang ruling bago ito magsimula.

“At trial proper. Yes, that’s possible,” sabi ni Bantug.