Defense team ready to present witnesses

MANILA, Philippines —  With the prosecution panel wrapping up its presentation of witnesses, Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team has declared its readiness to present witnesses.

“We have always said that we are always prepared. For as long as we follow the procedures, as we should, when it is our turn to present, then we will be ready to do so,” defense spokesperson Michael Poa said.

Poa was reacting to Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, one of the public prosecutors who reportedly said they may only have three more witnesses to present.

They are Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Office of the Commissioner chief of staff Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez, forensic financial analyst  Alexander Cabrera and a third witness.

Last-minute changes

Defense team lead counsel Sheila Sison objected to the prosecution’s “ultra-belated notice” on the switching of witnesses, saying it was unfair to them because they prepared to cross-examine the witness from the BIR and not a forensic financial analyst.

It was only yesterday, at the start of the impeachment trial proceedings, that the defense learned of the prosecution’s intention to change witnesses to be presented, including Cabrera, whom the court has not even subpoenaed.

The prosecution explained that they wanted to change witnesses because private prosecutor Edwin Matib, who was supposed to conduct the direct examination of the BIR official, was sick.

The defense panel claimed to have seen Matib at the Senate on Wednesday.

“We object to this switching at the last minute. We prepared for the BIR witness which they had disclosed. Had they known about the problem since yesterday, we expected that we would have been notified yesterday,” said Sison.

While Sison agreed that sickness can be unplanned, she counted 13 private and public prosecutors and the two lead prosecution counsels present in yesterday’s hearing. She suggested that another counsel from the prosecution team take the place of Matib.

Sison cited members of the defense panel, who at times would not feel well, but still showed up for the trial.

Impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero commended the defense team that while they are outnumbered, they “have performed above and beyond and clearly competently during the course of this trial thus far.”

Defense thanks Go, Padilla

Duterte’s defense team thanked Senators Bong Go and Robinhood Padilla for supporting their position on the impeachment trial voting threshold and filing a petition before the Supreme Court.

Go and Padilla asked the SC to rule against the impeachment court’s decision to lower the number of votes needed from the senators to convict the Vice President.

Meanwhile, Poa said they would file a petition for certiorari before the SC questioning the Commission on Audit’s decision on the disallowance against the Office of the Vice President’s P73.29 million in confidential funds.

In another development, a photoshoot featuring the Vice President holding a copy of her children’s book “Isang Kaibigan” has been posted on social media.