VP Sara Duterte's defense spox bows out amid witness status

Defense counsel Michael Poa has stepped down from his role as spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team in her impeachment trial, as he is slated to testify as a witness. "I think, for the defense team, I think it’s just proper that considering that Atty. Michael Poa ay isasalang po sa (will be put on the witness stand before the) impeachment court, common etiquette and proper decorum dictates… he needs to at the moment, step aside from serving as the defense team’s spokesperson," counsel Justin Nicol Gular said Tuesday. The House prosecution panel is expected to call Poa as a witness on Wednesday. Gular said he will serve as deputy spokesperson for the time being. According to Gular, he said their team has not been in communication with Poa after it was disclosed that he will be a witness. “Of course, we respect the impeachment proceeding, wala na po kaming (we hade no) communication at that point,” he said. He said Poa is no also longer staying in the defense holding room. Meanwhile, Agular said it is not the defense team’s strategy to make the impeachment trial appear either boring or theatrical. He was asked about supposed public sentiment following their decision to not cross-examine Army Colonel Manaros Boransing II. Agular said their team did not see any issue to his testimony. “If we do not see any issue as to the testimony of the witness… lawyers sometimes do not conduct cross examination anymore. ‘Yun lang naman po talaga ‘yung why we don’t conduct cross examination,” he said. (You can see it based on the records. Sometimes, lawyers no longer conduct cross-examination. That is simply why we do not conduct cross-examination.) “Ito lang po ‘yung masasabi ko sa publiko who feel this way. Just be patient. Ganito naman po talaga ‘yung proseso. Minsan may mga araw na, for others, gagamitin ko lang ‘yung term mo, “boring,” minsan mainit. This is part of a proceeding,” he added. (This is what I have to tell the public ... just be patient. This is how the process really is. There are days that when some will use the term boring, sometimes hot. This is part of a proceeding.) He advised the public to remain patient, observe the proceedings, and to listen to other legal luminaries. — RSJ, GMA News