Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Day 2: Witness Testimony Takes Center Stage

The long-awaited impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte formally began on Monday, July 6, with a new presiding officer elected and the prosecution and defense panels delivering strong opening statements. During the first day of the trial, newly elected impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero ordered the issuance of subpoenas for two National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials to appear in the proceedings. These NBI agents, Jeremy Lotoc and John Mark Calilung, were among the first witnesses lined up for presentation from July 6 to July 8, as indicated on the prosecution panel's manifestation dated July 3. They are expected to testify on an impeachment article detailing the alleged grave threat and assassination plot against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. These allegations under Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment against the Vice President are expected to be tackled beginning Tuesday, July 7. The defense team has said that Duterte was only exercising her freedom of expression in relation to the threat supposedly made in a live video in November 2024 against the President and members of his family. Duterte did not attend the first day of her trial, but she was represented by her defense team led by Atty. Sheila Sison. It is still uncertain if Duterte will attend the second day, given that witnesses will already be presented. The spokesperson for the Senate impeachment court also said that the Vice President cannot be compelled to attend her own trial as she has the right against self-incrimination and is being represented by her lawyers. Also on Monday, Escudero ordered that the box containing the tax records of the Vice President and her husband Manases Carpio be sent back to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). This box was sent back by the Senate impeachment court to the BIR on Tuesday morning. The House prosecution panel, meanwhile, asked the Senate impeachment court to issue subpoenas directing banks to produce the bank records of Duterte and Carpio, and requiring bank officials to testify on the transactions. The proposed subpoenas cover certified true copies of all records, documents, books, papers, electronic data, communications, and other information in the possession, custody, or control of the banks relating to any account, deposit, investment, trust, loan, safe deposit box, or other financial transaction. Defense counsel Sheila Sison, for her part, argued that seeking bank records covering the period before Duterte became an impeachable official was an overreach. The Senate impeachment court gave both parties five days to file their respective comments justifying their positions on the matter, Under the approved 92-day trial period, the impeachment court allotted 62 trial days for the prosecution to present its case and 30 trial days for the defense. —AOL, GMA News