Prosecution: We ‘scored points’ by presenting Sara Duterte videos during trial

MANILA, Philippines – After a rough first day, the prosecution panel believes it “scored points” after the second day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The proceedings on Tuesday, July 7, saw the defense team get overruled by the impeachment court again and again when it tried to question the line of questioning or the manifestations raised by the prosecution.

For public prosecutor Lorenz “Noy” Defensor, victory came when they successfully played the videos of Vice President Sara Duterte making death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.

“We scored when we showed the video that the Senate impeachment court deserved to see. We scored when we showed other statements from the Vice President that support our article of impeachment,” Defensor said.

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Long road

It took more than two hours before the first video was played, amid lengthy debates and interjections by the defense. The prosecution’s first witness was John Mark Calilung, a senior agent at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) who authenticated Duterte’s videos.

The defense team tried to remove him as a witness, but presiding officer Chiz Escudero denied the request, citing legal precedents that allowed witnesses beyond those in the initial complaint.

CJ Narvasa, the lawyer who represented the defense team on Tuesday, made several objections, from matters related to the authentication of the prosecution’s documents to private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan’s questioning style. Narvasa insisted it was misleading or vague.

Public prosecutor Terry Ridon quipped in a press conference that some of the objections were “a bit impertinent” or “repetitive.”

“But I think that’s the job of the lawyer, too. If I were part of the defense panel, maybe that’s what I would have done, to ensure that evidence won’t be admitted to protect my client,” Ridon said.

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Defense spokesperson Michael Poa asserted that their camp has the discretion to object if there are questionable pieces of evidence.

“In all litigations and trial proceedings, especially in examination of witness, there will be objections from every side,” Poa explained.

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Private lawyers clash

Defensor, who was the lead prosecutor for the impeachment article on grave threats, gave the driver’s seat to Ligutan, who had his time to shine during the second day of trial.

Ligutan was among the original lawyers of the House in the impeachment case against Duterte. During the first impeachment saga in 2025, Ligutan was already the legal counsel of a group of petitioners who filed their complaint against Duterte with the House in December 2024.

When Narvasa tried to interrupt Ligutan during his opening speech, a sassy Ligutan told the lawyer from the other side, “Hold your horses.”

But even Narvasa had a sound bite or two that are likely to be amplified by Duterte’s supporters — when he suggested that Calilung was “following a script.” Ligutan attempted to strike that comment from the record, but Escudero didn’t grant it.

What happens next

The impeachment court adjourned at 6:24 pm as the court scheduled the defense’s cross-examination of Calilung for the following day, Wednesday, July 8.

After Calilung, the prosecution is expected to present NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc, who previously confirmed that Duterte had indeed hired an assassin to kill the President.

Other witnesses whom the prosecution may present soon include House security officer Belinda Bello, NBI Director General Melvin Matibag, and Duterte’s chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez. The prosecution has asked the court to compel the attendance of the three personalities, but the court has yet to grant its request.

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– Rappler.com