MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team on Wednesday challenged the prosecution’s first witness in her impeachment trial, arguing that her 2024 remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez do not constitute an impeachable offense.
During the third day of the Senate impeachment trial, defense lawyers cross-examined John Mark Calilung, questioning the basis of the National Bureau of Investigation’s investigation and arguing there was no evidence that Duterte hired an assassin to carry out the alleged threats.
Defense counsel Mark Vinluan said Duterte made the statements as a wife, mother and daughter responding to perceived threats against her family, not in her capacity as vice president. He also argued prosecutors failed to prove she contracted an assassin or committed an impeachable “high crime.”
The defense presented portions of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024, online briefing, including footage involving her chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, whose detention by the House of Representatives allegedly triggered Duterte’s remarks.
Defense lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa also questioned the NBI investigation, noting that President Marcos, Araneta-Marcos and Romualdez did not file sworn complaints or personally appear before investigators. Calilung testified that the bureau launched the investigation on its own authority and said the NBI may file charges without a formal complaint if evidence supports a criminal case.
Presiding officer Francis Escudero reminded senator-judges to avoid questions requiring legal conclusions, while Risa Hontiveros and Bam Aquino sought clarification on the prosecution’s evidence.
House prosecutors maintained that the defense failed to weaken Calilung’s testimony, with prosecution adviser Robert Ace Barbers saying the witness’s testimony remained consistent. Prosecutors said they will present NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc as their next witness when the trial resumes Monday.