Politics · Philippines Bureau
Court rules two firms inadmissible in Duterte impeachment trial testimony
The Senate impeachment court has excluded two companies from SEC witness testimony during Vice President Sara Duterte's ongoing trial. The presiding officer sustained the defense's objection to including the firms in the proceedings.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA – Senate impeachment presiding officer Francis Escudero ruled on Day 27 of Vice President Sara Duterte's trial that Pikimong Pikimong Philippines Corp. and JTC Group of Companies would be excluded from testimony being presented by Securities and Exchange Commission witness lawyer Gerardo del Rosario.
Escudero sustained an objection raised by the defense team regarding the inclusion of the two firms in the witness's statement. The ruling effectively limited the scope of del Rosario's testimony before the impeachment court.
The exclusion marks another procedural development in the high-profile trial, which has seen multiple evidentiary disputes as both the prosecution and defense present their cases. The presiding officer's decision follows standard rules governing the admissibility of evidence in impeachment proceedings.
The Vice President's trial continues with additional witnesses and evidence scheduled for presentation in coming sessions.