House prosecutors announced on Tuesday their intention to subpoena Vice President Sara Duterte to testify as a hostile witness regarding allegations of grave threats against the nation’s top officials.
Atty. Lorna Kapunan, a private counsel representing the prosecution panel, told senator-judges that Duterte’s direct testimony is crucial to addressing the sedition-related charges, which involve an alleged plot to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“One of the key witnesses, hostile, will be the Vice President,” Kapunan stated as the impeachment trial resumed. She added, “We will have a written request for her presence in connection with this article on grave threats.”
Presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero declined to force an immediate response from the defense, noting that the trial’s existing framework does not require the accused to be physically present if legal counsel is representing them.
“Should the counsel for the prosecutor desire to call the respondent herself, the court will act on that motion and request once it is made and or filed,” Escudero explained.
Kapunan stood firm on the prosecution’s strategy, stating that they will formally file the subpoena requests when the trial reaches the appropriate phase.
Duterte, who faces four articles of impeachment including unexplained wealth, misuse of confidential funds, bribery, and grave threats, briefly visited the Senate on Tuesday to confer with her lawyers but left before the official proceedings got underway.