Sara Duterte impeachment trial: defence cries foul as prosecution seeks last-minute witness switch on day 36
Day 36 of the Sara Duterte impeachment trial stalled after House prosecutors asked to hear a financial analyst first because the lawyer presenting the BIR witness fell ill; the defence objected and Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ruled the BIR witness must be presented on Friday.
MANILA — The 36th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial hit a snag on Thursday after the House prosecution panel asked the Senate impeachment court to hear a financial analyst first, because the lawyer due to present the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) witness had fallen ill.
House prosecutor Terry Ridon asked that the court hear forensic financial analyst Alexander Cabrera before the BIR witness, saying private prosecutor Erwin Matib — who was to present BIR Office of the Commissioner chief of staff Atty. Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez — had a slight illness.
— was to be the prosecution’s 26th witness for Article II, the unexplained-wealth allegation.
Defence lead counsel Sheila Sison objected, calling the move “really unfair” and arguing the defence had prepared to examine the disclosed BIR witness. “We object to this switching at the last minute,” she said. Sison noted the prosecution had 13 lawyers present who could take over Matib’s role: “It would now seem that the burden of adjusting to this situation is being passed on to us.”
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero noted the court had not yet issued a subpoena for Cabrera; Ridon replied the analyst was already in the holding room. After a recess, Escudero ruled the trial would resume around 2:30–3pm, with the BIR witness to be presented on Friday with or without Matib, followed by Cabrera. Whether the afternoon session proceeds depends on Matib’s condition.
Read next: Day 33: Escudero allows AMLC testimony — full coverage on the sara-duterte-impeachment topic hub.
More on this topic: all World stories
