Acidre: Key evidence in VP Duterte trial comes from hostile witnesses, defense records⠀

KEY evidence being used to prosecute Vice President Sara Z. Duterte did not originate solely from her accusers but includes hostile witnesses and documents originating from the other side of the impeachment case.⠀

House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair Jude A. Acidre of Tingog Party-list stressed this point Monday as he rejected attempts to dismiss the proceedings despite the documentary and testimonial evidence already subjected to scrutiny before the senator-judges.⠀

“Ang ating mga witness, hindi po lahat galing sa prosecution. Meron po tayong hostile witnesses na pinatawag,” Acidre said.⠀Former Office of the Vice President Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta and OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio have both testified as hostile prosecution witnesses, with their examination focusing on Duterte’s instructions, approvals and the handling of confidential funds inside her office.⠀

Acidre said the evidentiary record also includes acknowledgment receipts, financial plans and liquidation papers rather than documents created simply to advance the prosecution’s narrative.⠀“Ang mga ARs, ang mga dokumento, ang acknowledgement receipts, ang work and financial plan, ang liquidation documents na ipinakita, lahat po iyon ay galing mismo sa defense side,” Acidre said.⠀

Thousands of acknowledgment receipts submitted by both sides have already been compared by the impeachment court as the proceedings narrowed disputes over the documentary record.⠀Acidre said the trial process also allows Duterte’s lawyers to question witnesses and challenge the evidence placed before the court rather than requiring the senator-judges to accept the prosecution’s assertions at face value.⠀

“Talagang binibigyan natin ng pagkakataon na mailahad ang lahat ng ebidensya at ma-question ang ebidensya,” Acidre said.⠀He argued that Duterte’s legal training makes the constitutional character of the proceedings and the opportunity to contest the evidence particularly difficult to disregard.⠀“Sa totoo lang, isa sa nakakapanghinayang ay ang Vice President po ay isang abogado. Alam naman niya ang patakaran ng batas. Alam naman niya ang rule of law,” Acidre said.⠀“E kung nanumpa lahat po na halal na officials ay nararapat lamang na sumunod sa Saligang Batas, at ang prosesong ito ay nakapaloob mismo sa ating Saligang Batas,” he added.