The House prosecution panel has decided not to present two previously identified witnesses in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte after determining that their intended testimonies were no longer necessary.
Speaking during a House press conference on Friday, July 17, House prosecutor Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the witnesses were initially expected to help authenticate the video evidence and provide details on the circumstances surrounding Duterte’s alleged grave threats. However, he said these matters were already sufficiently established during the proceedings.
According to Tolosa, the witnesses were initially expected to authenticate the video containing Vice President Duterte's alleged threats and explain the circumstances under which the statements were made.
"Tulad ho dun sa pinaliwanag during the previous hearings and even the previous press conferences, maliwanag yung rason bakit hindi na kailangan pang ipresenta itong dalawang witnesses na ito. Ang purpose ng presentation nila dapat is to help authenticate the video. Pangalawa, to testify regarding the surrounding circumstances when the threats were made," Tolosa said.
However, he said the defense itself had relied on the same video during the proceedings, effectively acknowledging its authenticity.
"Napakaliwanag na wala nang issue sa authenticity. Ginamit nilang sariling video which proves they conceded its authenticity. At mas mahalaga doon, mismo mga abogado ng respondent, inamin na ginawa itong threats na ito in response to the questions propounded by the senators," he added.
Tolosa also addressed the argument that the alleged threats were merely a reaction to the detention of Vice President Duterte's former chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez. Citing the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) official Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, he said the evidence showed that the alleged assassination plot had already been discussed before Lopez's detention.
"Sinabi ni Atty. Lotoc... bago pa nangyari ang detention, may kasunduan nang patayin ang presidente. Ang detention, iyon lang ang pagkakataon kung kailan inanunsyo sa buong publiko na meron nang kasunduang patayin," Tolosa said.
He stressed that because the alleged agreement to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez supposedly predated the detention, the prosecution no longer saw the need to spend additional trial time presenting witnesses solely on the issue of detention.
"Since hindi naman ito ang cause nitong assassination plot na ito, hindi na namin kailangang mag-dwell pa nang matagal sa issue about detention. Maliwanag na hindi naman iyon ang naging rason kung bakit ginawa iyon," Tolosa said.
The prosecution maintains that the existing video evidence, along with witness testimonies already presented before the Senate impeachment court, is sufficient to establish the allegations under the article on grave threats against Vice President Duterte.
