MANILA (September 10) — The House prosecution panel said Wednesday its impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte remains strong even without her testimony, while keeping open the possibility of calling her to the witness stand.
Manila Rep. Joel Chua said prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence on the two impeachment articles they have tackled so far — the alleged grave threats under Article IV and the alleged misuse of confidential funds under Article I.
“We believe that whether she appears or not, our case is strong,” Chua said.
The prosecution, however, reserved the right to call Duterte as a witness after completing its presentation on Article I. Chua said her testimony could potentially address allegations raised under all four articles of impeachment.
He said Duterte could also help clarify questions that emerged during the proceedings on the use of confidential funds, particularly the identity of the funds’ ultimate recipients.
Former Office of the Vice President special disbursing officer Gina Acosta testified that she turned over P125 million in confidential funds to then-OVP security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica on Duterte’s instruction.
Acosta, however, said she did not know how the money was ultimately used or where it went after the turnover.
Chua said this made Duterte a potentially significant witness for the prosecution, but stressed that her testimony was not indispensable to its case.
The prosecution’s position leaves Duterte’s possible appearance as a strategic option rather than a prerequisite for completing its presentation of evidence.
