Impeachment court declares OVP official hostile witness in Duterte trial

MANILA – An impeachment court on Monday designated a senior Office of the Vice President official as a hostile witness, a ruling that grants the House prosecution expanded questioning authority in Vice President Sara Duterte's trial.

Lemuel Ortonio, assistant chief-of-staff of the OVP, received the hostile witness designation on the 16th day of proceedings. The classification permits prosecutors to pose leading questions during direct examination, a technique typically reserved for cross-examination that can shape witness testimony more directly.

The ruling represents a strategic advantage for the House panel pursuing the impeachment case against the Vice President. Hostile witness designations are generally granted when a court determines that a witness is reluctant, evasive, or antagonistic toward the party calling them, though in this case the witness was presented by opposing interests.

The trial continues as both the House prosecution and defense present evidence and witness testimony in what has become one of the highest-profile political proceedings in recent Philippine history. The case centers on allegations against Vice President Duterte, with both sides presenting their respective positions through witness examination and documentary evidence.