MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio cannot be compelled to testify in her own impeachment trial, her defense asserted Tuesday, invoking her constitutional protection against self-incrimination as prosecutors signaled plans to put her on the witness stand.
Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison raised the constitutional objection as the Senate impeachment court resumed proceedings for the 23rd day, setting up a potential legal clash over whether Duterte-Carpio may be called by the House prosecution panel to testify against herself.
Sison cited Section 17, Article III of the 1987 Constitution, which provides that “no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.”
“This right is absolute and this is not only a simple right or a statutory right. This is a fundamental right. This is a right emanating from the Constitution itself and one that emanates from the guarantees under Article 3 of our 1987 Constitution,” she said.
The defense lawyer also rejected suggestions that Duterte-Carpio’s absence from the Senate proceedings showed a lack of interest in defending herself, stressing that the Vice President was participating in the trial through her legal team.
“If respondent is not interested in this trial, she would not have even sent her lawyers to defend her in this case,” Sison said.
The prosecution, meanwhile, informed the impeachment court that it would no longer present additional witnesses for the first article of impeachment, which centers on allegations that Duterte-Carpio misused confidential funds.
The move came as the trial continued to examine allegations surrounding the Vice President’s handling of confidential funds during her tenure at the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
The House of Representatives impeached Duterte-Carpio on May 11 by a 257-25-9 vote.
The articles of impeachment accuse the Vice President of culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, bribery and other high crimes.
The Senate convened as an impeachment court and began hearing the case on July 8./PN
