Oral arguments possible on VP Sara subpoena —impeachment court spox

Impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol on Tuesday said oral arguments may be conducted if the House prosecution panel requests a subpoena to compel Vice President Sara Duterte to testify in her own impeachment trial.

This comes as private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan announced that the prosecution intends to call Duterte to the witness stand to confirm her allegation of innocence.

Kapunan, however, said that they are not asking the Senate impeachment court for a subpoena for the Vice President "at this time."

Tongol said the prosecution and the defense have opposing views on the matter, with the latter invoking the Vice President’s right against self-incrimination.

He also recalled that when the prosecution requested to subpoena the bank and tax records of Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and the businesses linked to them, the impeachment court decided to conduct oral arguments on the matter.

“Mukhang kung ‘yun po, dokumento lang, ito po ay medyo mas higher right of a person. Under the Bill of Rights po ‘yan, na right against self-incrimination ang kinukwestyon dito,” Tongol explained in a press conference.

(If that was just for a document, this one’s a bit more important as we're talking about the rights of a person. The right against self-incrimination under the Bill of Rights is being questioned here.)

“So kaya po mukhang mas importante ito at magkakaroon ng ganong prosesong oral arguments when the time comes that they request for the subpoena to be issued,” he added.

(So this seems more important and there will be such a process of oral arguments when the time comes that the prosecution requests for the subpoena to be issued.)

Tongol was also asked if Duterte could skip the trial if a subpoena is issued, and if she does, would she be cited in contempt even if she is the respondent.

“Well, that is within the realm of possibility sa multiverse of madness. Kasama ‘yan. So puwedeng mangyari ‘yun. However, siyempre, ang bawat aksyon ng isang tao merong kaukulang consequence. So ‘yung consequence na ‘yun, we will just cross the bridge when we get there, if ever that happens,” the court spokesperson answered.

(Well, that is within the realm of possibility in the multiverse of madness. That is included. So it can happen. However, of course, every action of a person has its corresponding consequence. As to that consequence, we will just cross the bridge when we get there, if ever that happens.)

Tongol admitted that it would be easier if Duterte just voluntarily attended her own trial, just like what former Chief Justice Renato Corona did to his.

Regardless, he stressed that doing so is totally the Vice President’s prerogative.

“Just like Chief Justice Corona, he was not called to the witness stand by the prosecutors then. He just volunteered. And as the defense counsel of CJ Corona then was saying against their advice to attend the trial, he insisted on attending the trial. So it is totally the respondent's prerogative if she wants to be a witness,” he said.

If ever Duterte decides to attend her impeachment trial, Tongol also said that people should have learned the lesson from what happened during the impeachment trial of Corona in 2012.

“Maraming nagsasabi na ‘yun ‘yung nakasama kay Chief Justice Corona, ‘yung hindi siya natanong. And seemingly, according to some people, nag-walk out siya on the impeachment proceedings. So I'm sure nobody will make the same mistake anymore, whether any witness ‘yan or even the respondent,” he said.

(Many people were saying it became worse for Chief Justice Corona when he did not take any questions. And seemingly, according to some people, he walked out on the impeachment proceedings. So I'm sure nobody will make the same mistake anymore, whether that’s for any witness or even the respondent.) —LDF, GMA News