THE House prosecution on Friday turned Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s earlier warning of a “bloodbath” against her own defense, saying its first week of testimony had failed to deliver the promised answers to allegations of P818 million in unexplained wealth.
“May bloodbath nga, but the bloodbath is happening in the defense and not in the prosecution,” House lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro said at a press briefing.
House prosecutor Manila Rep. Joel Chua echoed the remark, claiming that the defense had yet to land a significant blow against the prosecution’s evidence.
“Duguan na sila eh, ‘di ba? So far, hanggang ngayon, hindi pa tumatama ’yung suntok nila sa prosecution. Bugbog-bugbog na sila eh,” Chua said.
The prosecutors were reacting to Duterte’s statement in July that she expected a bruising impeachment trial but would remain defiant.
“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” Duterte said at the time.
Her camp later clarified that she was referring to the ordeal she expected to endure, not to harming others.
Chua said the defense had only exposed itself to further questioning by presenting witnesses who, in his assessment, failed to weaken the prosecution’s case.
“Naglabas po ng ebidensya ang prosecution. Bugbog po sila. Naglabas po ng ebidensya at testigo ang defense, mas lalo po silang nabugbog at duguan na po sila,” he said.
Chua also questioned why Duterte’s lawyers would prolong the trial if they could not directly challenge the prosecution’s financial findings.
“Ngayon ayaw pa nilang matapos. Eh masokista na po ang tawag diyan,” he said.
Luistro said the prosecution had expected stronger evidence after Duterte’s camp repeatedly promised to answer the allegations in the proper forum.
“Now we are in the proper forum. It’s your time to answer,” she said.
She said the first week of defense testimony had yet to provide convincing explanations for the alleged financial discrepancies.
“Wala pa tayong nakikitang convincing na sagot,” Luistro said.
“Again, the disparity of the amount is so big, 817 million [pesos] ang hinahanap pa natin ng explanation,” she added.
Prosecution witness and forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera earlier identified at least P817.87 million in allegedly undeclared assets and unexplained wealth from 2022 to 2025.
The defense presented witnesses to explain disputed properties, Duterte’s corporate interests, a restaurant bill in Japan and Nike shoes purchased in Malaysia by her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio.
Among them was lawyer Suzette Balucanag-Punay, in-house counsel for GenCorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corp., who confirmed that Duterte received approximately P2.14 million in returns of capital from GenCorp.
The prosecution questioned whether those testimonies adequately addressed Cabrera’s findings.
The defense also withdrew or dispensed with 18 of its 24 scheduled witnesses during the four hearing days from Nov. 9 to 12, including 16 bank officials.
Despite criticizing the defense’s opening presentation, Luistro said prosecutors would not prejudge the eight to 10 additional witnesses Duterte’s lawyers plan to present when the trial resumes Nov. 19.
“With all due respect to the defense, let us give them the benefit of the doubt,” she said.
Luistro said prosecutors were still waiting for Duterte to address the specific allegations against her.
“Sapagkat ako man ay naghihintay sa kasagutan ng respondent vice president to these specific allegations of unexplained wealth,” she said.
metrosundaily
