Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo questioned the relevance of a transcript of a conversation between former Department of Education (DepEd) Special Disbursing Officer Edward Fajarda and Rep. Jay-Jay Suarez during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, September 2.
Tulfo raised the issue after defense counsel Atty. Jay Tolosa Jr. asked questions concerning the conversation, noting that the transcript did not mention defense lawyer Atty. Michael Poa, who was the witness being questioned.
“Enlighten me, Presiding Officer, are we going to the right direction or are we wasting our time here?” Tulfo asked Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero.
He pointed out that the transcript contained a conversation between Fajarda and Suarez, but did not appear to involve Poa.
“Why ask questions to this person, to this witness, pero hindi naman po siya nagsabi? Kanina ko pa po tinitingnan, wala namang makitang Poa d’yan,” Tulfo said.
He added that the line of questioning would have been more understandable if Poa had been mentioned in the conversation.
“A conversation between Congressman Suarez and Mr. Fajarda, siguro kung may Atty. Poa, maintindihan ko pa. Otherwise, we’ll be wasting our time. Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Presiding Officer,” he said.
Escudero acknowledged Tulfo’s concern and agreed that the point raised by the senator-judge was valid.
“The point of Senator-Judge Erwin Tulfo is well taken,” Escudero said.
The presiding officer also reminded Tolosa that he had already been given sufficient leeway to ask questions about Fajarda’s statements, noting that Fajarda himself was expected to appear before the impeachment court but was unable to do so because of illness.
“These questions apply more to him than to Atty. Poa,” Escudero said, before sustaining Sison’s objection to the line of questioning.
The exchange highlighted a dispute over the relevance of the Fajarda-Suarez conversation to the testimony of Poa as the impeachment court continued its proceedings.
