The defense team on Thursday dropped its plan to present a Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) lawyer as a witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying his testimony was no longer necessary.

Defense counsel Michael Poa told the Senate impeachment court that the defense would no longer call Atty. Paul Roderick Ysmael, whose testimony was initially intended to authenticate a letter submitted as evidence.

Poa said he had already acknowledged under questioning in an earlier hearing that he authored the letter, making Ysmael's testimony unnecessary.

“After evaluation of the defense team, we would like to manifest that we will already dispense with this witness from BPI, specifically Atty. Paul Roderick Ysmael,” Poa said.

He added that the letter had already been marked as Defense Exhibit D-2-190-BPI.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, confirmed that the letter was already included in the court's records as an exhibit for the defense.

House prosecutor Atty. James Bryan Ibrahim Alih, however, raised concerns over the decision, saying the subpoenaed documents were already part of the court records and contained information that the prosecution wanted to question.

Alih asked whether the prosecution could make a manifestation highlighting specific portions of the records if Ysmael would no longer be presented.

Escudero said the prosecution could raise the matter at the appropriate time through a tender of excluded evidence, memoranda or closing remarks after both sides had completed their presentation of evidence.

The presiding officer also stressed that the court would not interfere with the defense team's decision on which witnesses to present as part of its evidence-in-chief.