Prosecutors seek more time to mark 'voluminous' confi funds evidence

The House prosecution team will ask the Senate impeachment court for two more days and additional manpower for the marking of the evidence in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

House lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro of Batangas and Joel Chua of Manila said this appeal is being made given that the prosecution's documentary evidence supporting its allegation of the Vice President's misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential fund of the Office of the Vice President and that of the Department of Education during her tenure as Education chief.

"They are voluminous," Luistro said in a press conference, adding that they are thinking of asking the Senate impeachment court of extending the pre-trial conference until Saturday, June 27, and deploying four more teams to finish the marking of evidence.

Luistro said that the defense has also decided to have a separate marking of evidence concerning the confidential fund even if such document is the same document that the prosecution seeks to mark as evidence.

Luistro said that had the defense agreed to mark the same set of evidence as common evidence, it would have cut the time needed to mark them all "in half."

Luistro, however, said the defense has the right to decide on how they will proceed on their defense, including the marking of evidence.

"That's their prerogative," Luistro added. — BM, GMA News