DEFENSE spokesperson Michael Poa acknowledged on Tuesday, July 14, that the legal team for Vice President Sara Duterte did not anticipate the prosecution’s decision to remove two key names from its witness roster in the ongoing impeachment trial. The prosecution had pulled out Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff Zuleika Lopez and House Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director Capt. Belinda Bello, a move that caught the defense side off guard as proceedings enter a critical phase.
Poa noted that the development may also prompt the defense to adjust its own lineup of witnesses. To avoid presenting repetitive or unnecessary testimony before the Senate impeachment court, the team is now actively considering dropping some of its own scheduled witnesses, aligning with the goal of keeping proceedings focused and efficient without sacrificing clarity or due process.
Prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan explained that the two witnesses were withdrawn because their expected testimonies would have been redundant and would not add new, material information to the case. The decision reflects both sides’ efforts to streamline the trial, even as the defense continues to assess how best to present its arguments amid shifting strategies from the opposing panel.
metrosundaily
