De Lima says prosecution's 2nd witness to bolster case vs Sara Duterte

MANILA, Philippines – As the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte wrapped up its first week, Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Saturday said the next witness of the prosecution will strengthen the testimonies and evidence on the alleged grave threats made by Duterte.

This is what De Lima answered when asked what is to be expected from the upcoming testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.

Lotoc will be presented as the witness of the prosecution after NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung.

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De Lima recalled the first round of testimonies made by Calilung where she noted that the senior agent played an “important role” in authenticating the video recordings of Duterte containing alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

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READ: ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 1 highlights

“What will happen now in the case of Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, who is a seasoned NBI investigator and NBI lawyer, will explain why and how the evidence was assessed, the videos shown and authenticated in the testimony of Senior Agent Calilung,” De Lima, speaking FIlipino, said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“He will both be corroborating as well as adding certain aspects to the testimony of Agent Calilung, especially in the investigation and results, basis of their conclusion on why they referred it to the DOJ,” De Lima added.

She also emphasized the importance of the first week of the trial where she said that allegations turned into evidence, which was then subjected to cross examination.

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She noted that while the impeachment trial does not end with the first witness to stand, she added that the next weeks will be important in unfolding more pieces of evidence.

She, along with Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno likened the presentation of evidence to building foundations for a house as more witnesses were subpoenaed.

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“The introduction is where the foundation needs to be established. Now we will see other features of the house. I think the public’s interest will intensify next week and in the next few weeks,” Diokno said in Filipino.

Aside from Lotoc, the prosecution panel also wanted the House of Representatives’ Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms Capt. Belinda Bello and Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff and Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez to stand as witnesses for the second week of trial.

“It will strengthen of course because it is still a foundation. So brick by brick, we’re going to make it stronger, the evidence against VP Sara against the respondent for the Article IV. So mainly testimonial evidence,” De Lima noted, speaking partly in Filipino.

‘Admission’

She also said that no part of testimonies made by Calilung was broken even under cross examination. She added that Calilung’s testimonies became stronger after the cross examination conducted by the defense team.

“Although the authenticity will not be an issue because the [defense team] itself showed certain portions of the video so it is an admission showing that they are not questioning when it comes to the authenticity,” De Lima added.

READ: Defense showing Lopez video justifies need to subpoena her – Barbers

Defense lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa was allowed to play a portion of Duterte’s press briefing on November 23, 2024, where Lopez complained about the lower chamber’s actions after she was cited for contempt and eventually detained. It was the same briefing where Duterte uttered the alleged threats against Marcos, the first lady, and Romualdez.

The defense team has argued that the charges from the “threats” made by Duterte “are not ‘other high crimes’ contemplated by the Constitution as grounds for impeachment.”

Defense counsel Mark Vinluan noted that when Duterte made the remarks, “she was not responding as Sara Duterte the Vice President, but as Sara Duterte the wife, mother, daughter and sister, who only sought to protect herself and her family.”

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“Operation Romanov is in place, and the threat against their lives is real,” Vinluan added.  /jpv