Poa: Defense won't 'telegraph' witnesses, strategy in VP Sara impeachment trial

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday said it would not disclose its planned witnesses or litigation strategy in the ongoing impeachment trial, saying it does not want to “telegraph” its moves to the prosecution.

Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said the defense would wait for the proper time to present its evidence, noting that the public has so far heard mainly the prosecution’s side.

“We don’t telegraph our moves, so tingnan na lang natin kung kinakailangan na i-present siya o hindi [we'll see if he needs to be presented or not],” Poa said when asked about former police officer and prosecution witness Ramil Madriaga.

Madriaga is listed as a prosecution witness in the prosecution’s pre-trial brief and also appears on the defense’s witness list, Poa said. However, he declined to confirm whether the defense would eventually present him.

“Sa ngayon, hindi muna kami magbibigay ng anumang statement o sino yung mga witnesses na ilalabas natin,” he said.

(As of now we do not have a statement about the witnesses we will present.)

Poa said the defense was likewise not prepared to comment on whether former OVP security officer Colonel Raymund Lachica would be presented as a witness, saying the decision remains part of the defense’s strategy.

He also pushed back against descriptions that the defense was “hesitant” to present certain witnesses.

“I don’t want to say hesitant at this point,” Poa said, adding that the team was simply not ready to disclose whether Lachica would be included.

“I think we were very categorical in saying lang na they’re not ready to disclose yet if and when ilalabas, isasama nila sa listahan nila si [they will include on the list] Colonel Lachica.”

Poa then declined to characterize the prosecution’s decisions regarding its witnesses, saying it was within the prosecution’s prerogative to determine how it would present its evidence.

“I’m sure may game plan sila [they have a game plan], just as much as we have our own game plan,” he said.

He added that the defense would similarly determine which evidence and witnesses would help its case before deciding whether to present them.

Meanwhile, Poa further dismissed a report claiming that Duterte had a meeting with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as “fake news.”

He said he initially did not believe the report and was hesitant to even ask Duterte about it. He eventually sought her confirmation because he expected reporters might ask about the matter.

Poa said Duterte agreed that he could directly describe the report as fake news.

He compared it with previous reports he said falsely claimed that he had been hit with a laptop, as well as a statement attributed to him that he said he never made.

Poa urged the public to be more careful about information circulating on social media.

“Dapat mas maging mapagmatyag tayo sa mga nababasa natin sa socmed. Try to find out kung legitimate yung sources,” he added.

(We must be more discerning when it comes to what we read on social media. Try to find out if the sources are legitimate.) — BM, GMA News