Former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo on Monday said public interest in the impeachment trial has waned, and that the prolonged proceedings are being used as propaganda against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Panelo made the statement during an interview on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s At The Forefront with lawyer Karen Jimeno.
Asked whether the lengthy trial could hurt the prosecution by causing the public to lose interest, Panelo said the prolonged proceedings instead benefit the prosecution because they allow it to continue its alleged propaganda against the Vice President.
“Pabor sa kanila kasi propaganda ang ginagawa nila, propaganda,” Panelo said.
When asked whether keeping the trial on air longer would further serve that purpose, he replied, “Yes, propaganda yan.”
Panelo, however, said public interest in the impeachment proceedings has already declined.
“Public interest has waned. Public interest has waned. That’s very obvious. Even in Tagalog (proceedings), halos walang nanunuod sa amin nito, iilan na lang kami,” he said.
He said the declining audience means the proceedings no longer have much impact on the public.
“It doesn’t affect the people watching anymore. Ayaw na nilang manood,” Panelo said.
He described the prolonged proceedings as “kalokohan” and said these could further frustrate the public.
On the legal merits of the impeachment case, Panelo also criticized the prosecution’s evidence.
“Di lang mahina ebidensya, walang ebidensya,” he said when asked to assess the performance of the prosecution against the defense.