House Deputy Speaker and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin has criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team, claiming they are employing a “3D tactic” to stall the ongoing Senate impeachment trial.
Garin stated that the defense’s strategy relies on a “delay, delay, and divert” approach, which she believes is designed to prevent the impeachment court from rendering a prompt decision.
“Napakalinaw po na yung direksyon ng depensa ay to delay, delay, and divert,” she said.
According to Garin, the House prosecution’s decision to withdraw three of the four articles of impeachment served as a countermeasure against attempts to prolong the proceedings through a massive list of witnesses. By narrowing the scope, the prosecution aimed to focus the senator-judges solely on the remaining allegation regarding alleged unexplained wealth instead of stretching the trial across multiple charges.
“Kaya rason na gumalaw din yung prosekusyon, kasi hindi naman pwedeng manaig ang taktika ng pagpapatagal at pagpapatagal, dahil ang usapin dito ay accountability o sagutin ang mga katanungan,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the defense team argued that withdrawing the charges deprived the Vice President of a formal opportunity to address accusations that had already been aired publicly and brought up in the trial.
Garin countered that the defense has no one to blame for the procedural friction, noting that the prosecution had proposed an alternate presentation setup as early as July.
Under this suggested format, both sides would present evidence alternately, allowing the defense to answer each specific article immediately after the prosecution rested its case on that charge.
“Alam mo, the defense has nobody to blame but themselves,” Garin said, dismissing claims that Duterte was denied a fair chance to answer.
“Kasi unang-una pa lang, paulit ulit nang sinasabi ng prosekusyon, gawin nating alternate, grave threat, then sasagutin ng depensa. [Then] confidential funds, then sasagutin ng depensa. Subalit sila yung umayaw,” she added.
Garin also noted that the defense had previously signaled an intention to present 90 witnesses solely for the grave threats article, while pointing out that Duterte’s lawyers were already granted extensive latitude during cross-examinations.
“Pero kung titingnan naman natin, they were able to cross-examine the witnesses at hindi tinutumbok nang diretso ang mga alegasyon, kundi ito ay nililihis,” she argued.
The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, has since approved the prosecution’s motion to withdraw three articles, leaving only Article II on alleged unexplained wealth. The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its controverting evidence on November 9.