Sara Duterte trial: Defense begins presentation of evidence

MANILA, Philippines – The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte is set to begin presenting its evidence in her impeachment trial on Monday, November 9, following a weeks-long suspension of proceedings to give way to Senate committee hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget.

A manifestation dated November 4 showed that the defense intends to present corporate, local government, and banking officials as witnesses, including the corporate counsel of Gencorp Industries Incorporated and Metro City Chow Foods — two companies linked to Duterte.

The defense asked the Senate impeachment court to issue subpoenas duces tecum and ad testificandum to Gencorp corporate counsel Suzette Balucanag-Punay, directing her to appear before the court and bring certified true copies and original copies of the companies’ general information sheets, audited financial statements from 2022 to 2025, and other related corporate records covering the same period.

Balucanag-Punay was expected to testify on relevant corporate and business matters, including Duterte’s alleged business interests in Gencorp and Metro City Chow Foods, but she will not be able to attend Monday’s trial due to a scheduled magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

“The anticipated date for her presentation will be on Wednesday because the issued subpoena I believe is from Monday to Wednesday. But with the excuse of having this scheduled MRI, definitely, she won’t be able to attend the proceedings on Monday,” House lead prosecutor Representative Gerville Luistro told Super Radyo dzBB.

The defense also sought subpoenas for three Davao City government employees, a barangay chairperson, and at least 16 bank officials.

“We’ve served the subpoena to the 21 witnesses,” Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. said.

The defense earlier asked the impeachment court to subpoena former law school dean Ralph Sarmiento as its first witness. Sarmiento declined, saying he wanted to “preserve the independence of his constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of his legal views.”

Article 2, which concerns allegations of unexplained wealth against Duterte, is the only remaining impeachment article against the Vice President after the House prosecution panel withdrew the three other articles. With the dropping of charges, the defense will present its evidence on Article 2.

It can be recalled that the impeachment trial was suspended on October 13 to give way to Senate committee hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget. – Rappler.com