House prosecutors ‘very satisfied’ after 2nd day of Sara Duterte’s trial

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecutorial team in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial was “very satisfied” with how the second day of the proceedings went, Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said on Tuesday, vowing to sustain the momentum throughout the trial.

“We are very satisfied with the outcome of today’s trial, and we hope to continue that and we will sustain that throughout the 90 days total of the impeachment trial days,” he told a media briefing. ”We are ready to sustain this kind of trial.”

READ: Sara Duterte’s ‘kill threat’ video clip presented in impeachment trial

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Defensor’s remarks come as the prosecutors open their case with Duterte’s threat against President Marcos, the First Lady, and the President’s cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez, in the event she is killed.

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In November 2024, Duterte went on an expletive-laden online briefing where she said she had asked someone to kill the President and his family if she were assassinated. She later denied making a threat, rejecting the claim despite initially having said that she was not joking.

READ: Duterte’s lead counsel Sheila Sison called out twice for rule violation

That charge became the centerpiece of the impeachment case, with prosecutors calling it grave given Duterte’s violent remarks came as she is the constitutional successor to Marcos, her former ally turned foe over policy differences.

“All the evidence we wanted to present before the Senate impeachment court came out, and every statement the prosecution team intended to release was delivered,” said Defensor.

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Throughout the trial, Duterte’s defense team repeatedly challenged both the witness and the prosecution’s evidence, leading to lengthy exchanges. Objections from Duterte’s lawyer, Carlo Joaquin Narvasa, include seeking the disqualification of a law enforcement agent from testifying in the trial.

Narvasa also questioned the veracity of the supporting documents and the validity of showing the videos of her threats against Marcos, arguing that clipped videos of her media briefings may not capture the full context.

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“We have anticipated every technicality or every scenario possible in our preparations,” Defensor said. /cb

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