Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday welcomed Sen. Lito Lapid’s surprise decision to question a witness during the 17th day of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the senator’s questions offered a different perspective that could help uncover the truth.

In an interview with DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, Gatchalian said Lapid was given priority to ask questions after unexpectedly standing to address former Office of the Vice President (OVP) special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta.

“May listahan kami kung sino unang magtatanong pero dahil nga nakakagulat at kakaiba yung pagtayo ni Sen. Lapid, binigyan siya ng priority over others,” Gatchalian said.

“Minsan lang siya magtanong, pero malaman naman yung kanyang tanong.”

He said Lapid, who rarely participates in the questioning, raised substantive points that could help clarify details relevant to the case.

Lapid’s questioning on Tuesdy centered on the second ₱125 million withdrawal discussed during Acosta’s testimony.

Acosta was asked where the P45 million from the second ₱125 million withdrawal had gone. She said she initially placed the money in the OVP vault.

Acosta later clarified that she eventually released the ₱45 million to security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica after he submitted a fund utilization report and identified the object of expenditure.

Gatchalian said the impeachment court’s primary objective is to establish the facts before the senator-judges ultimately make a judgment.

“Ang direction talaga ng impeachment court is makuha yung katotohanan, malaman natin lahat atsaka tayo humusga sa dulo,” he said.

He added that senator-judges are given opportunities to question witnesses from different angles, with the answers potentially providing details that could be considered when they reach a decision.

Gatchalian said the varying perspectives raised by senator-judges are important in examining the testimony and establishing the facts before the court reaches its final judgment.