Duterte defense questions Ombudsman witness on SALN competence

MANILA, Philippines– The defense counsel of Vice President Sara Duterte questioned on Tuesday, September 15, the competence of an official of the Office of the Ombudsman to testify on alleged irregularities in the Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) of the country’s second-highest official. On Day 25 of the impeachment trial, defense lawyer Justin Nicol Gular underscored that Ombudsman records division officer-in-charge (OIC) Karen Batu has no personal knowledge of the contents of Duterte’s SALNs including her personal properties, liabilities, net worths, and disclosures of business interests and financial connections. Batu also has no personal knowledge whether or not there were irregularities, unusual entries, or errors in Duterte’s records, he added. “In testifying in today’s trial, you cannot conclude whether the Vice President has or does not have ill-gotten wealth,” said Gular. The prosecution swiftly objected, saying “it was clear from the very start that the witness was only testifying based on the [Ombudsman’s] records.” “We’ve been fair with the witness in our direct [examination] only asking her to that,” private prosecutor James Bryan Ibrahim Alih said. Duterte’s financial records were scrutinized during the trial, with prosecutors presenting her SALNs from 2007 to 2025. The defense initially objected to the presentation, explaining that she was not an impeachable officer prior to 2022. Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero, however, allowed the presentation, citing the need to establish a baseline. “The Chair would like to remind counsel for the respondent of the ruling of the Chair with respect to the issuance of the subpoenas covering the period 2007 up to 2025, that pursuant to OMB, Office of the Ombudsman vs. Bernardo GR No. 181598 dated March 2013, there is a necessity to establish the baseline, not for the prosecution but equally for the respondent, in order to find out what is the base figure for the computation of the SALN during her term,” Escudero said. Defense spokesperson Michael Poa, in a press briefing, said Batu was not the proper witness to interpret the SALNs, adding she was called to testify to identify Duterte’s SALNs that were in the custody of the Ombudsman. He also said the defense will present a strategy, during their presentation of evidence, to address questions on the SALNs. “We have our strategy on that matter, actually. Because obviously, I will not, without disclosing the specifics, I will also not deny na siyempre, napag-isipan na ng depensa kung paano natin gagawin yan at ipapaliwanag ang mga bagay-bagay,” Poa said. (We have our strategy on that matter, actually. Because obviously, I will not, without disclosing the specifics, I will also not deny that we have already formulated ways on how we will explain the SALNs.) “Meron naman kaming mga naisip na paraan at estratehiya… Asahan niyo na lang po at abangan niyo na lang po ‘pag kami naman ang nag-present ng ebidensya kung sakaling may mga kailangan ipaliwanag doon sa mga nakalagay,” he added. (We thought of ways and strategies. We will show that to the public during our turn to present evidence.) Amici curiae In a related development, the Senate impeachment court is now preparing for the presentation of the amici curiae, or “friends of the court” on Wednesday, September 16. The impeachment court has tapped four retired Supreme Court (SC) justices to provide guidance on the resolution of the voting threshold for Duterte’s trial. They are: retired Chief Justices Artemio V. Panganiban, Reynato S. Puno, Hilario G. Davide Jr., and retired Associate Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna. Panganiban, Puno, and Azcuna will physically attend the presentation while Davide will submit an advisory to be read before the court. RELATED STORY: ‘Amici curiae’: Where do invited ex-justices stand on conviction threshold debate? Each senator-judges will be provided five minutes to pose a question to the retired SC justices. Following their presentation, an oral argument between the defense and prosecution panels on the matter will be held on September 23, with each side given 15 minutes to present its position. Senator-judges are expected to cast their votes on the voting threshold issue on the same day. – Rappler.com