In a tactical move ahead of her upcoming impeachment trial, Vice President Sara Duterte has officially named her primary accusers, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Ramil Madriaga, to her defense team’s witness lineup.
The defense panel submitted its pre-trial brief to the Senate impeachment court on June 15, detailing a comprehensive list of witnesses aimed at neutralizing the allegations mounted against the Vice President.
According to the legal filing, the defense team’s strategy in summoning these high-profile individuals—including Trillanes and Madriaga—focuses on demanding strict accountability from the prosecution.
“to disprove the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment, establish that the allegations in the Articles of Impeachment are mere conclusions of law and fact”
The brief further underscored the basic legal standard governing the upcoming proceedings, assigning the full weight of validation to the accusers.
“Since the burden of proof never shifts, it is incumbent upon the Prosecution to prove their allegations in the Articles of Impeachment.”
Duterte’s expansive witness list spans across numerous vital government offices. The defense seeks testimonies or records from representatives of the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Commission on Audit (COA), the Department of Budget and Management, and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
The list also names former Department of Education Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil Mercado, alongside officials from the Davao City Government, the Philippine Statistics Authority, and various private corporations connected to the Vice President’s asset disclosures.
Looking ahead, the defense panel noted that it maintains total flexibility regarding its legal strategy as the trial progresses.
“Until the prosecution is able to present any such credible, competent, and admissible evidence, the respondent reserves the right to present additional controverting evidence.”
The upcoming trial stems from severe charges approved by the House of Representatives, which include betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft, corruption, and culpable violation of the Constitution.
Central to the articles of impeachment are allegations involving the questionable spending of hundreds of millions in confidential funds during her leadership at the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, hidden assets, and accusations of inciting sedition and threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family.
These corruption charges were heavily supported during congressional hearings by evidence detailing rapid fund disbursements, red-flagged bank transactions, and regulatory findings from the NBI and COA.
Furthermore, an AMLC report unsealed during the hearings detailed multiple suspicious transactions involving the Vice President and her relatives, which lines up with broader investigations into public fund misuse and illicit drug networks.