The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte said Tuesday it sees no irregularity in the issuance of an Armed Forces of the Philippines certificate used as an attachment to documents submitted by the Department of Education (DepEd) to the Commission on Audit (COA) concerning the use of confidential funds.

Atty. Justin Nicol Gular, deputy spokesperson of Duterte's defense team, said their position was based on their argument that the vice president committed no wrongdoing.

Gular clarified that the defense was not making a determination on the merits of the case or the probative value of the certificate. He said their position was limited to their belief that Duterte, their client, did not commit any wrongdoing.

He said it would be up to the senator-judges, the prosecution and the public to determine the evidentiary weight of the document.

“The senator-judges are free to determine the probative weight of the document as they deem fit,” Gular said.

Meanwhile, Gular said Atty. Michael Poa could still return as the defense team's spokesperson but must temporarily step aside after being called as a prosecution witness for Wednesday's proceedings.

“Common etiquette and proper decorum dictates that we respect the impeachment court and he needs to, at the moment, step aside from serving as the defense team spokesperson,” Gular said.

Poa was no longer staying in the defense panel's holding room Tuesday. Instead, he was in the witnesses' holding room with other witnesses, including retired AFP Col. Manaros Boransing II and Col. Magtangol Panopio, who testified on the 20th day of the impeachment trial.

Poa is expected to be the prosecution's first witness on the 21st day of Duterte's impeachment trial on Wednesday.