Prosecution points out delays in Sara Duterte impeachment trial
MANILA, Philippines – The prosecution panel’s spokesman in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sarta Duterte on Sunday said that her team of lawyers is slowing down the trial by refusing to stipulate common evidence.
In a statement, Atty. Benjamin Tolosa, Jr, said hat Duterte’s counsel opted on Aug. 14 to counter‑check thousands of documents, days beyond the set schedule when prosecutors aim to question state auditor Xylene Mae del Ocampo, who is expected to testify how the Commission on Audit (COA) examined Duterte’s secret fund spending in 2022 and 2023.
That could stall Duterte’s impeachment trial, whether or not that was the intention of her lawyers, he added.
“I don’t want to judge what their intentions are, whether they’re really doing this on purpose to try to derail or delay the proceedings. But what I will say is, I think it’s clear: intentional or not, that’s the result,” Tolosa said in Filipino.
Last Wednesday, Duterte’s trial hit a snag after prosecutors and defense lawyers clashed over stipulating evidence to fast-track proceedings, prompting an exchange that ended with the Senate allowing contested documents to be examined beyond the trial proper.
READ: Ligutan: Defense must prove Sara Duterte didn’t pocket secret funds
Prosecutors planned to question del Ocampo and first sought to have documents, including receipts from Duterte’s office and the education department she previously headed that spent confidential funds stipulated to hasten the proceedings.
That bid was shot down by Duterte’s counsel. Defense lawyer Kristine Ferrer said some documents were “incomplete,” raising concerns over whether they accurately reflected their contents. Parties asked to stipulate evidence have the right to reject it.
Duterte’s defense team was asked to acknowledge 29 exhibits, according to a Senate impeachment court briefer after Wednesday’s trial.
It rejected 10 of those, based on the Senate summary. Prosecution private lawyer Lorna Kapunan later told reporters the defense’s denial covered nearly 5000 documents.
“We will have to let the presiding officer know about this so it’s clear we are not the ones causing delay,” Tolosa said.
“We are really trying to find ways to make things move faster, but this is what’s happening.” /gsg
