Metro Manila, Philippines – Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo called out the House prosecution panel on Thursday, Oct. 1, for presenting witnesses who he said do not add substance to the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, warning that they were wasting the court’s time.
“Minsan ’yong prosecution, pumapalpak kayo,” Tulfo told the prosecution during the 32nd day of Duterte’s impeachment trial.
[Translation: Sometimes, the prosecution, you mess up.]
“There are times naglalagay kayo ng mga witness dito na hindi naman kailangan talaga. Nagsasayang lang tayo ng oras dito. ’Yong ibang senador inaantok,” he added.
[Translation: There are times when you present witnesses here who are not really needed. We’re just wasting time here. Some senators are getting sleepy.]
Tulfo told prosecutors to make sure their witnesses could provide testimony relevant to the case.
He also referred to an earlier prosecution witness whose testimony and questioning went viral online, without naming the people involved.
“May kinuha kayo na pinagtatawanan tuloy, nagpapa-cute lang habang may kinakausap na pulis,” Tulfo said.
[Translation: You presented someone who ended up being laughed at, just acting cute while talking to a police officer.]
His remarks appeared to refer to the Sept. 28 direct examination by House prosecutor and San Juan Rep. Bel Zamora of PMaj Joericson Sangalang, chief of the Records Division of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office. A clip of Zamora questioning Sangalang later drew attention online.
Sangalang testified that 22 firearms were registered under Duterte’s name, while 29 were registered under her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio. Zamora later defended the relevance of Sangalang’s testimony, saying the prosecution sought to establish whether the firearms were properly declared in Duterte’s SALNs.
Some senator-judges had earlier questioned the relevance of the firearms testimony to the unexplained wealth allegations, although Tulfo himself used Sangalang’s testimony to raise concerns about the number of firearms a person may legally own.
