MANILA, Philippines – Inalis na ng House prosecution sa listahan ng mga testigo sina Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s chief of staff, lawyer Zuleika Lopez, at House Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director Capt. Belinda Bello dahil hindi na umano kailangan o corroborative lamang ang kanilang testimonya tungkol sa mga alegadong pagbabanta.
Sa pagtatapos ng ikalimang araw ng Senate impeachment trial nitong Martes, sinabi ni private prosecutor lawyer Lorna Kapunan na ginawa ang desisyon matapos suriin ang testimonya at documentary evidence na iniharap sa pamamagitan nina National Bureau of Investigation officials John Mark Calilung at Jeremy Lotoc.
“It is the wisdom of the public prosecutors, as expressed through this representation, that we find it totally unnecessary, redundant and a surplusage to still present Atty. Zuleika Lopez and, as well, Capt. Belinda Bello,” pahayag ni Kapunan sa impeachment court.
Nakatakda sanang tumestigo si Lopez sa tatlong usaping kaugnay ng online press conference ni Duterte noong Nov. 23, 2024, na sentro ng Article IV ng impeachment complaint.
“Had we been able to present Atty. Zuleika Lopez, she would have proven three things —or we would want to have proven three things,” ani Kapunan.
Layunin sana ng prosekusyon na patunayan na nasa loob si Lopez ng House detention center nang sabihin ni Duterte ang mga pahayag sa video na minarkahan bilang Exhibit P-4-10, na naroon at narinig ng media personnel ang mga pahayag, at na tunay ang recording.
Gayunman, sinabi ni Kapunan na hindi na kailangan ang testimonya ni Lopez matapos kilalanin ni defense counsel Mark Vinluan na naganap ang press conference, naroon sina Duterte at Lopez, at binigkas ng Bise Presidente ang mga pahayag sa recording, bagama’t kinokontra ng depensa ang interpretasyon ng prosekusyon.
“No need to present Atty. Lopez for this purpose,” ani Kapunan.
Hindi na rin umano kailangang patunayan ang authenticity ng video dahil gumamit mismo ang depensa ng bahagi nito.
“Totally unnecessary because, why? Because the defense themselves used the very same video, that exhibit, in their defense when they showed Atty. Zuleika crying and allegedly complaining about the violation of her human rights,” sinabi niya.
“So, by their own admission, there is no question about this video.”
Samantala, ihaharap sana si Bello upang patibayin lamang ang ebidensiyang may kautusang ilipat si Lopez sa loob ng House detention facility, na naging bahagi ng kontekstong tinalakay sa Nov. 23 broadcast ni Duterte.
“The testimony of Capt. Belinda Bello is merely corroborative. She would have been presented only to corroborate the fact that there was a transfer order made in the detention center and that transfer order had been the subject of the video or press conference of November 23, 2024,” ani Kapunan.
Saklaw ng Article IV ang mga pampublikong pahayag ni Duterte laban kina President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at then-Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“We have reduced trial dates by lessening our presentation on this article by two witnesses,” sinabi ni Kapunan.
Aniya, ibinatay ang desisyon sa mga ebidensiyang naiharap, pagtatanong ng magkabilang panig at clarificatory questions ng mga senator-judge.
“We have decided from the evidence presented and from everything in consideration that we will not present these two witnesses,” dagdag niya. RNT
