Sara in 2028: Do we really want this kind of leader?

MANILA, Philippines — Beyond the impeachment proceedings, Vice President Sara Duterte should also prove before the court of public opinion if she really “is the president that we wish to elect in 2028,” a prosecutor in her impeachment trial said yesterday.

In an interview with The STAR’s “Truth on the Line,” Rep. Terry Ridon said her trial under Article IV or grave threat was meant to determine whether she is still fit for the vice presidency, and not to prove that she had indeed hired a hitman to kill the President and his family, as such is already “extraneous to the issue.”

“Is that the president we wish to elect in 2028? Making threats against a Filipino? The Vice President herself had stated that she wanted to be President in 2028, so we need to measure her on that standard. Is this the type of leadership that we would want to have in our nation?”

The prosecution is expected to wrap up its presentation of evidence on the fourth article of impeachment as it is expected to present its last witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Melvin Matibag, on July 21.

Apart from proving Duterte as being unfit to continue as the Vice President, Ridon said the impeachment proceedings also aim to address and end the culture of violence in the country, which he said, could be traced back to the administration of the vice president’s father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

During his presidency, the elder Duterte was notorious for his profanity-laden public remarks, including threats to have people killed.

Ridon pointed out that even the supporters of the Dutertes – emboldened by their leaders – are making threats against people not aligned with their political views.

He recalled how a councilor from Lebak town in Sultan Kudarat, Robert Celestial, had messaged him threatening to punch him. Ridon said he is readying legal action against Celestial.

‘Unblemished’ testimonies

He said the prosecution is ready to rest its case on the fourth article of impeachment, as the testimonies of their two NBI witnesses remained “unblemished” despite intense cross-examination.

“We have high confidence that we have proven the case of threats. We have satisfaction in the manner in which we have presented the evidence,” he said.

The prosecution has so far presented two NBI witnesses: senior agent John Mark Calilung and Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.

At a Zoom press briefing yesterday, Senate impeachment court spokesman Reginald Tongol said the Monday trial would tackle the prosecution’s request for subpoena on Duterte’s bank and tax records.

Tongol also said the 2012 Corona impeachment trial should provide senators with pointers on how to tackle the House prosecution team’s request for subpoena on the documents.

He said a similar subpoena to the Bureau of Internal Revenue for Corona’s income tax returns was granted during his trial.

Tongol said then BIR commissioner Kim Henares was even summoned at the time to present the tax records.

Tongol said the subpoenaed Duterte tax records need not come in a box, as in the case of the “BIR green box” that the House prosecution panel had tried but failed to retain in Senate custody.

The sealed green box – signed by BIR Commissioner Charlito Mendoza – was ordered returned by the impeachment court to the BIR.

“We do not expect the documents to come in a box. It can also come in a box, but not necessarily. It can come to the court through a folder,” he said.

At last Wednesday’s hearing, the House prosecution – through Rep. Chel Diokno – officially requested the court to subpoena the bank records.

‘Who’s blocking evidence?’

Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan lashed out at the Duterte camp for continuously blocking effort by the prosecution to present evidence.

“The VP said the prosecution is just all noise – no evidence. And yet now that we are presenting evidence, who is blocking the evidence? Who is blocking the presentation of the bank records? Who is blocking the presentation of the BIR records? Who is blocking all relevant evidence?” she asked. — Delon Porcalla, Bella Cariaso, Alexis Romero