Duterte's legal team: Some witnesses not identified for their safety

MANILA, Philippines—Some witnesses of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team were not named during the impeachment pre-trial conference for their security, according to one of her lawyers, Michael Poa.

Poa said both parties have reserve witnesses for the impeachment trial of the vice president, which is set to start on July 6.

“We, in the defense, also have reserve witnesses. We did not identify them. Why? For their security,” said the defense team’s spokesman when interviewed at the Senate on Tuesday.

Article continues after this advertisement

“And if there is a rule requiring disclosure within three days, we have no problem with that,” he added.

Poa also said they had requested disclosure of the order of trial and the list of witnesses.

In the order of trial, the defense team wanted to know which of the four articles of impeachment would be taken up first. The same applies to witnesses listed by the House prosecution team.

“Why? So that each side—the prosecution and the defense—as well as the impeachment court, including our senator-judges, can adequately prepare,” Poa explained in Filipino.

“We in the defense, if we requested that from the prosecution, are also willing to undergo the same disclosure process,” he added.

Article continues after this advertisement

The defense lawyer was asked about the three-day rule notice earlier mentioned by Senate Secretary and Impeachment Clerk of Court Renato Bantug before the presentation of any surprise witness.

READ: Surprise witnesses allowed in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Article continues after this advertisement

According to Bantug, both parties have the right to reserve witnesses, who are not available yet during the pre-trial conference.

“And they would have to inform the parties of the calling of such witnesses at least three days before the scheduled appearance,” he told reporters on Monday.

The pre-trial conference, which started on June 18, is expected to conclude this week, and then the submission of a pre-trial order to the impeachment court by June 25.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Based on the pre-trial conference’s guidelines, the pre-trial order “shall bind the parties, limit the trial to matters not disposed of, and control the subsequent course of the proceedings. /mcm