LIST: Here are the initial defense witnesses set to testify for Sara Duterte in impeachment trial
The Senate Impeachment Court released on Thursday, Nov. 5, a list of initial witnesses summoned by Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team to testify from Nov. 9 to 13 during her impeachment trial.
According to spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol, the Impeachment Court received two formal manifestations from the defense on Nov. 4 that contained requests for subpoenas for the listed witnesses. Along with the names were the schedule of appearances and the purpose of each testimony.
See the list below.
| Intended witness | Scheduled appearance | Stated purpose |
|
Dean Ralph A. Sarmiento (Former vice chancellor for Administration & Law, professor in Political and Constitutional Law, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City) |
Monday, Nov. 9 | To testify on legal and constitutional principles relevant to this impeachment case and on Article II, and to bring his Curriculum Vitae and other documents relevant to his qualifications and testimony |
|
Atty. Suzette Balucanag-Punay (Corporate counsel, Gencorp Industries, Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corporation) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on relevant corporate and business matters of said corporations and Respondent-Accused's alleged interests therein, and to produce certified true copies and/or originals of the 2022-2025 General Information Sheets, 2022-2025 Audited Financial Statements, and all other related corporate records from 2022 to 2025 |
|
Engr. Jaime G. Adalin (City Assessor, Davao City) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on matters relating to the tax declarations and tax maps pertaining to the Matina Crossing Property referred to during the Prosecution's presentation, and to produce certified true copies of tax declarations for TCT No. 146-2024010775, Davao City tax mapping records, and related documents |
|
Engr. John Kenneth Enumerables (City Assessor, Island Garden City of Samal) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on matters relating to the tax declarations and tax maps pertaining to the Island Garden City of Samal Property referred to during the prosecution's presentation, and to produce certified true copies of tax declarations for TCT No. 142-2019013134, Samal tax mapping records, and related documents. |
|
Vingelin Bajan (City accountant, Davao City) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on matters relating to the Respondent's remuneration when she was holding office in Davao City, and to produce certified true copies and/or originals of payroll records, vouchers, and other documents showing release and/or payment of salaries |
|
Hon. Cindy Q. Colina (Punong Barangay, Matina Crossing, Davao City) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on matters relating to Matina Crossing, and to identify and bring all documents relating to its creation, official name, and other names by which it is known, whether by official acts, usage, or custom |
|
Olive Barcarse (FVP, Branch Banking Group, BDO Unibank, Inc.) Atty. Alvin C. Go (Legal Services Group Head, BDO Unibank, Inc.) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Paul Roderick A. Ysmael (SVP, Bank of the Philippine Islands) Atty. Cesar Bernard R. Coloma (VP, head of Litigation, Bank of the Philippine Islands) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Marino M. Buban, Jr. (FVP / head of Legal Service Division, EastWest Bank) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Joselito B. Vallada (SVP, Legal Services Group, Landbank of the Philippines) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Janella Marie R. Panlilio (Head of Legal and Remedial Services Group, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Jose M. Manuel Jr. (Head of Legal Services Division, PSBank) Rodel C. Mediavillo (Branch Review and Control Unit Head, PSBank) Mary Ann R. Candaroma-Morales (Loan Securities Department Head, PSBank) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Joseph Anthony P. Lopez (Head of Legal / FVP, Security Bank) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Joselito V. Banag (Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, UnionBank) Louiemel P. Panes (Branch Ambassador, UnionBank Davao) Rogelio C. Villos, Jr. (Senior Branch Ambassador, UnionBank Davao) Jayah Deneserie B. Scalf (Branch Ambassador, UnionBank Mandaluyong) Gemma Lynn L. Del Mundo (Senior Branch Ambassador, UnionBank Mandaluyong) |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To testify on, bring, and identify certified true copies of the letter-requests of Respondent-Accused and/or Atty. Manases R. Carpio, through counsel, Poa Himala and Virtucio Law, in 2026, the bank's respective responses thereto, certifications, and other relevant transmitted documents |
|
Atty. Anel Martin S. Antero (San Jose del Monte, Bulacan) Mr. Chadrin S. Parian (Las Piñas City) Vimar M. Barcellano (City Prosecutor, Quezon City |
Monday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 13 | To provide material testimony to controvert the allegations and factual assertions against Respondent-Accused under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment and other relevant matters, and to identify and bring relevant documents, if any |
CONTINUE READING BELOW
Sarmiento, at the top of the list, said early Thursday that he had declined the defense team's invitation for him to testify as he wanted to remain an impartial legal analyst.
Per Tongol, the Court's presiding officer, senator-judge Chiz Escudero, will be reviewing and acting on the subpoena requests according to the "Rules of Procedure and the Court's standards on relevancy and admissibility."
Court's response to Supreme Court petition
In the same press release, Tongol relayed the Impeachment Court's formal comment on a petition filed with the Supreme Court on Oct. 7 by senator-judges Robin Padilla and Bong Go, with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan and several lawyers.
The petition asked the Supreme Court to restore the mandatory 16-vote threshold to convict the respondent in an impeachment trial. This, after the Impeachment Court voted, on Sept. 23, to reduce the number of votes needed to convict, citing the absence of some senators from the trial proceedings.
In its comment filed through the Office of the Solicitor General, the Impeachment Court asserted that "its sole and exclusive power to try and decide all impeachment cases necessarily includes the authority to resolve incidental questions on how the two-thirds voting threshold is reckoned when certain members are legally or physically incapacitated from sitting."
"The Impeachment Court did not amend the Constitution," the comment continued. "It simply ensured that the verdict will be decided strictly by the Senator-Judges who actually heard the evidence, rather than allowing absent or detained senators who never participated in the trial to cast an artificial vote of acquittal."
The impeachment trial is set to resume on Monday, Nov. 9, its 40th day.
Duterte is on trial for charges of unexplained wealth, discrepancies in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth, and prohibited business interests.
The prosecution dropped the three other charges against the VP, which covered misuse of confidential funds, bribery, and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
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