Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team said it may present “surprise witnesses” during the impeachment trial, citing security concerns over some names in its witness list. Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said the team has identified up to 90 possible witnesses, but not all of them were publicly named in the pre-trial documents.
Poa rejected claims that Duterte’s lawyers merely copied the prosecution’s witness list, saying both sides submitted their pre-trial briefs at the same time. He acknowledged that some witnesses may overlap with the House prosecution’s list, but said the defense has its own reasons for calling them — either to challenge the prosecution’s claims or disprove specific allegations.
The House prosecution, for its part, has submitted its first batch of witnesses to the Senate impeachment court and is expected to present at least 57 witnesses. Under the pre-trial order signed by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on June 29, Duterte’s trial is set to run for 92 days, with 62 trial dates allotted to prosecutors and 30 to the defense.
Poa said the defense has been preparing for more than a year and asked the public not to judge the case based only on the prosecution’s opening evidence. He also pushed back against criticism that Duterte’s camp is relying on “technicalities,” arguing that the issues raised involve due process and constitutional rights, especially when evidence allegedly not attached to the original impeachment complaints is brought into the case.
For the defense, the message is clear: the prosecution may go first, but it will not get the last word. Duterte’s camp says its full strategy will depend on how the House presents its case — and when the time comes, the witnesses they have kept under wraps may become part of the fight.
Images from ABS-CBN / Inday Sara Duterte FB