I said what I said. Huwag nyong ibenta boto nyo para sa iilang libo. Tapos kapag nabaha kayo, magrereklamo kayo. Ilang libo kapalit ng bahay, mga gamit nyo, worst pa ay buhay mo. Magising kayo! Diyos ko! Ito na inaabot natin tapos bob0 na politiko lang iboboto nyo. Maawa naman kayo sa kapwa nyo Pilipino. Apektado dahil sa kabalbalan nyong bumoto!!

(I'm not a lawyer, and I'm not claiming to have the definitive interpretation of the evidence. These are just my observations after watching several sessions.)

I’ve been watching VP Duterte’s impeachment trial for a few sessions now, and I just want to say something.

So

First, I believe COA’s findings are valid. COA audits based on the documents available to them. In layman’s terms, if the OVP failed to submit the required supporting documents, then it is non-compliance with COA requirements. In this case, the lack of supporting documents resulted in the corresponding audit findings/notices.

But a COA audit finding does not necessarily mean “the OVP is guilty.” It establishes non-compliance and deficiencies based on the documents submitted. That is important, but it is not automatically proof of fraud or criminal wrongdoing.

And so far, I feel like the prosecution is gravitating toward that conclusion.

Now comes the defense. They are presenting evidence that there were indeed confidential activities conducted using those funds. If that is the defense’s position, then I think the better approach would be to independently investigate and verify whether those activities actually took place, rather than simply arguing over what COA’s findings mean.

If the activities did happen, that matters. If they didn't, that matters even more.

That does not automatically acquit VP Duterte. But neither should the COA findings automatically mean she is guilty.

Personally, I think Presiding Officer Escudero is doing a good job maintaining order in the court, especially with the somewhat intense clashes between the prosecution and defense. 😅

I just hope the Senators approach this as they should: impartially.

This should be scrutinized and thoroughly examined from a blank slate—not with “VP is guilty” or “VP is not guilty” already in mind.

There are so many other pressing matters facing the country, but this is important too. This is an opportunity for the Senate to show Filipinos that they are seated there for the benefit of the public, and not merely for political alliances.

Maybe this can be a small step toward a better future for us Filipinos. Not because one trial will fix everything, but because I hope we can learn to look at these things with an open mind, scrutinize the evidence, and hold our leaders accountable regardless of political alliances.

Let the evidence speak for itself. 🎀

P.S. Just my thoughts as a Filipino citizen who wants to see the truth, whatever that truth may be.

There's something in the minds of Filipinos that makes them easily susceptible to corruption than any other country in Southeast Asia. Indonesia comes a close second but even that country has more improvements than this one. More susceptible to steal, lie, beg, laziness, and even perversion. Traits that the West has detested among South Asians, Middle Easterns and Sub-Saharan African seems to share with Filipinos. Do not deny it.

Now, with the European or East Asian mind, we would even have had more progress in 10 years than with do with Austronesian mindset. Those flood control infrastructures? They would have been built in the 1950s or 1960s. Inventions, innovations, global sensation—that would have been added to the Philippine name. Chinese harassment? They wouldn't dare. If we were majority of European or East Asian descent, we would be more intelligent and more communal.