The prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has announced it will not present its remaining witnesses from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). This decision follows testimonies from two military officials that sufficiently addressed the issues related to the misuse of confidential funds.
Key Testimonies and Implications
We have already presented two witnesses regarding the same point, and the other two would have made the same argument, so they will no longer be presented.
Rep. Joel Chua, Manila 3rd District
The prosecution's decision follows testimonies from Boransing and Panopio, which highlighted the lack of funding from the Department of Education (DepEd) for various activities. Their statements were pivotal as they related to P15.54 million in confidential funds allegedly misused during Duterte's tenure as education secretary.
The defense has maintained that no funds were transferred from DepEd to the AFP for the activities in question, but they declined to stipulate this during the trial. Notably, Panopio was not cross-examined, which could influence the trial's outcome.
The impeachment complaint, which centers around P612.5 million in confidential funds, remains a significant focus as House prosecutors continue to present their case. The prosecution is now shifting its attention to lawyer Michael Wesley Poa, who they are labeling as a central figure and potentially a hostile witness.