ABOUT a month ago the House prosecution panel dropped three of the four impeachment articles versus Vice President Sara Duterte.
They pertained to alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery and grave threats.
Yesterday, the defense team started to present evidence to dispute Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, or the VP’s alleged unexplained wealth and failure to declare it in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.
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The practical effect is that this would shorten the period within which the defense could contest the impeachment.
The impeachment court may be able to wrap up its hearings as early as the second week of December.
Should they decide for conviction we may have a newly minted Vice President before the start of year 2027.
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The vice president’s spokesperson, lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., has issued a statement claiming that the prosecution has failed to establish its case.
“The prosecution had its chance. It failed. On Monday, the vice president begins her defense,” Panelo said.
Last Saturday, House prosecutor Terry Ridon made a retort. He said Panelo must have woken up in a bad mood. “In what alternate universe did we actually fail at this point? Kasi ang totoo naman, if we failed, hindi pasok ‘yung mga ebidensya na ito. Hindi sila mako-compel na sagutin po ‘yung usapin, point per point in this defense presentation of evidence,” Ridon said.
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Indeed, had the prosecution failed in its duty to present credible proof, the defense can choose to submit the case for decision sans countervailing evidence. The impeachment court has however formally admitted prosecution evidence for eventual consideration in coming up with a decision.
The defense has therefore listed more than twenty witnesses to explain away the VP’s alleged “unexplained wealth.”
Who better to explain it than VP Sara herself?
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VP Sara signed her SALN where cash and other assets were listed.
The case is quite straightforward: assets that the prosecution has shown to exist must be explained if they are not identified in the SALN.
Otherwise, the presumption arises, i.e., that unexplained wealth is ill-gotten wealth. This is the law’s assurance against public officials enriching themselves while in office.
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Yesterday the defense presented their first witness in the person of Engr. Jaime Adalin, city assessor of Davao, who was appointed to his position by the respondent vice president.
The prosecution asked him pointedly whether in November 2025 he was among the local officials who went to China on an all-expense trip paid by the consulate of China.
The assessor’s answer was that he could not recall such a trip, which actually taxes credulity.
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Sen. Risa Hontiveros said it is unbelievable that Engr. Adalin could not recall the cities he went to in China. He was not blindfolded.
Adalin however admitted that he went on the trip with the city engineer and city treasurer.
Public opinion may not be with the VP with the quality of witnesses being presented by the defense./PN
