Sara Duterte impeachment trial: Prosecution to present handwriting expert on Day 23

The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has entered its 23rd day, with proceedings continuing to focus on allegations of misuse of confidential funds. On Tuesday, the prosecution panel is set to present a new set of witnesses, aiming to bolster their case. According to impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol, the House prosecution panel plans to first present Police Major Jovelyn Magay, a PNP question document examiner. The prosecution's objective is to prove that the names listed on the acknowledgement receipts (ARs) for the confidential funds were written by either one, two, or a few individuals with similar handwriting strokes. This is intended to support the prosecution's assertion that the payees are fictitious individuals. “‘Yung PNP question document examiner na ipi-presenta ng House prosecution panel… ‘yung pagsulat ng mga pangalan doon sa ARs na ‘yun are done by either one person or two or just a few persons na magkakapareho ‘yung strokes, etc.,” Tongol said in a press conference on Monday. (With the PNP question document examiner who will be presented, the House prosecution panel intends to prove that the writing of names on the ARs was done by either one, two, or just a few persons with similar strokes, etc.) “‘Yun ‘yung ina-anticipate po na purpose po nung mag-presinta kay PNP Document Examiner Magay tomorrow,” he added. (That’s the anticipated purpose when PNP Document Examiner Magay is presented tomorrow.) With this, Tongol explained that the prosecution maintains that the names listed as payees in the ARs are fictitious people, while the defense is trying to prove that they are aliases. Should the direct, cross, redirect, and recross examinations of Magay, along with interjections from senator-judges, conclude within the day, the next witness to be called to the stand will be Sunshine Fajarda, former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) and current Director VI of the Office of the Vice President (OVP). Furthermore, Bresilio Sabaldan, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Executive Staff of the Commission on Audit-Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office (COA-ICFAO), has also been ordered to testify in the trial. The proceedings are closely watched as they could significantly impact the Vice President's political standing and public trust in the management of public funds.