Sara Duterte can file charges vs witnesses in impeachment trial, says law professor

Vice President Sara Duterte can file charges against the witnesses in her trial following the withdrawal of three articles of impeachment against her, a law professor said on Sunday.

"Kung gusto ng Bise Presidente na i-vindicate ang kanyang sarili, maghain siya ng karampatang kaso sa mga tumestigo laban sa kanya, ito man perjury or violation ng confidentiality," said Adonis Gabriel of San Beda University College of Law in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(If the Vice President wants to vindicate herself, she should file the appropriate charges against those who testified against her, whether it is perjury or violation of confidentiality.)

The Senate impeachment court earlier accepted the move by the House prosecution panel to withdraw three of the four Articles of Impeachment leveled against Duterte.

The prosecution said that it will no longer pursue three other charges against Duterte, saying its case will stand on Article II alone on alleged unexplained wealth due to non-full declaration of assets and non-divestment of business.

The Vice President can also charge the senator-judges if she wishes to, said Gabriel.

"Pwede maghain ng administrative case sa Senado mismo para tignan kung mayroong paglabag sa karapatan ng depensa ang mga huwes," he added.

(An administrative case can be filed right in the Senate to check if the judges violated the rights of the defense.)

Following the withdrawal of the three articles against her, Duterte's camp said the prosecution's withdrawal of three articles of impeachment on Tuesday is an admission that the allegations hurled against her lacked basis from the start.

"The withdrawal is an admission that the allegations lacked basis from the very beginning," said lawyer Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. —RF, GMA News