Defense lawyer Atty. Michael Poa on Tuesday said it was “not proper” to describe questioned transactions as a scam at this stage of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, stressing that such conclusions should be established through witness testimony.

Poa said the issues being discussed in court are still based on audit observation memoranda (AOM) and have yet to be fully proven.

“To call it a scam is really a mischaracterization,” he said, adding that the presiding officer appeared to understand his point during the proceedings.

He also expressed respect for House private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan, noting her long experience in legal practice.

Poa said he approached Kapunan after the exchange to thank her for her patience, emphasizing that younger lawyers should show deference to senior practitioners.

The defense lawyer maintained that determinations in the case should come from evidence presented by witnesses, not from assertions made by lawyers. “Yun po kasi dapat ay pinapatunayan through the witnesses at hindi po ng mga abogado,” he said.

On his cross-examination of a prosecution witness, Poa said the defense aimed to keep the proceedings efficient, noting the witness has already been on the stand for two days and may face a third day of questioning for clarifications from senator-judges.

“I really wanted the cross to be fast,” Poa said, adding that the defense focused on key points it intended to highlight. He declined to assess the effectiveness of his cross-examination, saying it would be up to the senator-judges to evaluate.

The Senate impeachment court adjourned the 12th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, August 4.

Hearings are set to resume on Wednesday, August 5, as the proceedings continue.