Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said the possibility of appointing a separate spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment team will depend on the vice president's approval, stressing that the matter must first be discussed with his client.

Speaking during a post-trial media briefing after the ninth day of the Senate impeachment proceedings on Wednesday, July 22, Poa said he appreciated the suggestion of Presiding Officer Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero but emphasized that he could not make the decision on his own.

“Something that I will have to consult the client about. I'll have to consult the vice president if that is something that she will be amenable to,” Poa said.

He noted that Escudero had recognized the defense team’s efforts to exercise caution during media interviews throughout the impeachment trial.

Poa acknowledged that serving as both a member of the legal team and the defense spokesperson has become increasingly demanding, saying the dual role requires significant time and effort.

“It's very difficult for me because it's quite time-consuming to do the legal work. Wala na kaming weekends. But aside from that, I also have to accommodate interviews because it's also very important na maintindihan ng mga kababayan natin kung ano yung nagaganap sa impeachment court on a day-to-day basis,” he said.

Poa said appointing another spokesperson could allow him to focus more on legal work or communications, depending on what Duterte decides.

However, he also pointed out possible challenges, including the new spokesperson’s familiarity with the media and the need to keep that person fully informed about the legal team's discussions.

“The tricky part talaga is kung may spokesperson na hindi part ng legal team per se... you will also have to manage and brief the spokesperson on what's going on and what he or she can say and cannot say,” Poa explained.

He added that if the Vice President approves the appointment of a new spokesperson, the defense team will formally introduce that person to the media.

The defense team continues to represent Vice President Duterte as the Senate impeachment trial moves to the next phase following the conclusion of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence for Article IV of the impeachment complaint.