HOUSE trial spokesperson Zia Alonto-Adiong of Lanao del Sur said the prosecution’s decision to forego a redirect examination of its first witness underscored the strength of the testimony presented before the Impeachment Court, saying the defense failed to materially weaken the witness despite an extensive cross-examination.
“The prosecution saw no need to conduct a re-direct examination because the cross-examination failed to create any material issue that required clarification,” Alonto Adiong said.
He said the NBI witness remained firm on the material points of his testimony throughout questioning by the defense, leaving the prosecution with nothing further to rehabilitate or explain.
“The witness remained composed, consistent, and unwavering on every material point. After hours of cross-examination, the testimony stood exactly where it stood before the defense began its questioning,” he said.
According to Alonto Adiong, cross-examination is the defense’s principal opportunity to test the credibility of a witness and expose inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence.
“In this instance, the defense was given every opportunity to challenge the witness. Yet the testimony remained intact, and the evidence presented by the prosecution remained unshaken,” he said.
Alonto Adiong stressed that the proceedings demonstrated the resilience of the prosecution’s evidence under adversarial testing.
“This impeachment trial is about evidence—not theatrics, not distractions. What the public witnessed today was evidence subjected to rigorous cross-examination and emerging intact,” he said.
Alonto Adiong added that the prosecution remains confident as it prepares to present additional witnesses and documentary evidence in the succeeding trial dates.
“This is only the beginning. The Filipino people have seen the first witness withstand intense questioning. More witnesses and more evidence will follow,” he said.
“Hindi umuubra ang pagbutas. Lalong tumitibay ang testimonya,” he pointed out.
Concluding his statement, Alonto Adiong said the trial should ultimately be judged by the quality of the evidence presented in open court.
“At the end of the day, the measure of every cross-examination is simple: Did it materially weaken the witness or the evidence? Based on today’s proceedings, the answer is clear. The testimony held, and the evidence remains as strong as when it was first presented,” Alonto Adiong said
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