MANILA — The House of Representatives’ justice panel set a condition for the possible testimony of former lawmaker Zaldy Co in the impeachment complaints against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying Co must return to the Philippines and personally appear before the committee to testify under oath.
House Justice Committee chair Gerville Luistro said Co, who is currently abroad, cannot be allowed to testify remotely or through unsworn statements, stressing that personal appearance and oath-taking are mandatory requirements for all witnesses.
“I think it’s everybody’s right to testify … for as long as he is willing to appear and to take his oath,” Luistro said during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
Luistro emphasized that the impeachment process strictly requires sworn testimonies and documents before these can be admitted as evidence.
“All the evidence supporting the impeachment complaint has to be sworn in before the Justice Committee,” she said.
She added that the same rule applies uniformly to all prospective witnesses, regardless of their position or role in the case.
Earlier, former Quezon City congressman and Cabinet official Mike Defensor said Co is willing to testify in support of the impeachment complaint, which cites alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
However, Defensor said their group failed to formally submit the complaint on Thursday because House Secretary General Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil was out of the country at the time. He said a separate impeachment complaint filed by the Makabayan bloc was likewise not accepted for the same reason.
Luistro clarified that questions on the filing, acceptance, and inclusion of impeachment complaints in the House plenary agenda fall under the authority of House leadership.
“We have the Office of the Speaker to answer all questions pertaining to the inclusion of the impeachment complaint in the Order of Business of the Plenary, and we also have all members of the House to comment on the referral of the impeachment complaints to the Justice Committee,” she said./PN
