MANILA, Philippines – Maaaring iharap ng House prosecution panel si dating Senador Antonio Trillanes IV bilang susunod na testigo sa impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte sa Miyerkules, Setyembre 30, pero pinayuhan ng presiding officer na huwag muna itong gawin.
Inaasahang magpapatotoo si Trillanes tungkol sa umano’y pagkuha ng pondo ni VP Duterte.
Orihinal na nakatakda siyang sumaksi matapos ang mga opisyal ng Anti-Money Laundering Council o AMLC at bangko.
Pero humiling ang prosecution na unahin na ang testimonya ni Trillanes sa Miyerkules.
Pinayuhan sila ni Presiding Officer Francis Escudero na sundin pa rin ang orihinal na pagkakasunod-sunod.
“The cart cannot be put ahead of the horse. It will be best, as originally planned by the prosecutors in their motion itself, to present at the very least the AMLC officer and/or the bank officials or the bank records, given that the testimony of the former Sen. Trillanes will pertain to that,” sabi ni Escudero.
Gayunpaman, sinabi ni Escudero na malaya ang prosecution na ipatawag si Trillanes nang boluntaryo at walang subpoena.
“I guess you can invite him tomorrow if you will indeed present him tomorrow… The court cannot prevent you from calling a witness in the proper order that you may deem fit,” ani Escudero.
Bagamat unang tumutol ang depensa sa pagbabago ng schedule, sinabi ni lead defense counsel Atty. Sheila Sison matapos ang recess na papayagan na nila si Trillanes na sumaksi.
“If we had withdrawn our objection and they want to present the former Sen. Trillanes tomorrow, then they should just do that,” sabi ni Sison sa korte.
Sinabi naman ni Escudero na maaari pa rin silang maglabas ng ruling sa Miyerkules kung kakailanganin.
Ayon kay public prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon, gusto sana nilang unahin ang AMLC at mga taga-bangko. Pero naghihintay pa sila ng ruling ng korte na inilabas lang din noong Martes.
“We would have wanted to present the banks in the soonest time, but the matter relating to the admission has only been resolved today. The earliest we can request a subpoena is actually on Friday,” paliwanag ni Ridon.
Tinutukoy niya ang Request for Admission ng prosecution na may 104 na bagay tungkol sa financial records at personal na detalye nina VP Duterte at ng asawa nitong si Manases Carpio.
Tinanggihan ito ng korte dahil sa karapatan ng bise presidente laban sa self-incrimination.
Patuloy ang pagdinig ng Senate Impeachment Court sa Article II ng Articles of Impeachment laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte. Ernie Reyes
