Duterte's legal team blocks prosecution bid to call VP as witness

MANILA — Attorney Sheila Sison, lead counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte, has filed a strong objection against the prosecution team's announced intention to call Duterte as a witness in the impeachment proceedings against her.

Sison argued that the Constitution contains explicit provisions prohibiting an accused from testifying against themselves during their own trial. The defense counsel contended that allowing such testimony would create an inherent constitutional conflict and violate fundamental protections afforded to the accused.

The objection marks a significant procedural dispute in the ongoing impeachment case, as the prosecution's witness strategy faces a direct constitutional challenge. The provision cited by Sison's team forms part of the fundamental rights protections enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.

The case continues to unfold with both sides presenting competing legal arguments over the scope and procedures governing Duterte's impeachment trial. The resolution of this objection could prove determinative for how the prosecution structures its evidence presentation.