Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV remains on the prosecution panel’s shortlist to testify in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, according to Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon.
Ridon, a member of the House prosecution team, stated during a media forum that Trillanes could be called to the witness stand once proceedings transition to the charges involving alleged unexplained wealth.
“So siyempre, I think on the deck pa rin po si Sen. Trillanes to give testimony, but that will be decided on that future date kung tuloy po siya o hindi,” Ridon said.
The lawmaker added that Trillanes features on the prosecution’s witness list and may also appear on the defense panel’s roster.
“Kasama po siya doon sa mga inilista po ng mga testigo ng ating prosecution. I think siya rin po ay listang testigo ng defense. I have to confirm it again,” he added.
Trillanes, a vocal opponent of the Duterte family, previously testified before the House Committee on Justice in April. During those proceedings, he asserted that approximately ₱2.407 billion moved through joint bank accounts owned by the Vice President and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, between 2003 and 2016.
He noted that these figures were derived from bank records provided by a source and analyzed alongside financial experts—claims similar to those he disclosed during the 2016 presidential campaign.
During the same hearing, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) presented data showing ₱6.77 billion in combined financial flows within accounts belonging to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
AMLC representatives acknowledged that specific entries in Trillanes’ submitted documentation aligned with records in their database.
Ridon explained that the prosecution will evaluate whether to call Trillanes depending on how evidence unfolds during the trial phase for the unexplained wealth charge.
“Katulad ng binabanggit po natin for each and every article, nakabatay po tayo on a day-to-day, week-to-week, witness per witness testimony bago po magpasya doon sa mga susunod pong mga isasalang po na mga testigo,” Ridon said.
Prosecutors plan to evaluate Duterte’s declared assets against financial records by cross-referencing her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)—where she reported a ₱88.5 million net worth in 2024—against Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documents, AMLC transaction histories, and bank entries to identify potential discrepancies.
The prosecution team is currently focusing its presentation on allegations regarding the Vice President’s handling of confidential funds.