Impeachment court warns witnesses over evasive testimony in Duterte trial

MANILA — The impeachment court hearing charges against Vice President Sara Duterte is showing signs of strain as witnesses continue to provide conflicting accounts and claim inability to recall key documents, prompting stern warnings from the bench.

Senator-judges have grown increasingly impatient with the pattern of evasive responses, repeated assertions of memory loss regarding critical evidence, and contradictory statements about property transactions. The court has indicated it will not tolerate further instances of what it considers obstructive testimony.

Among the complications emerging from witness testimony is a potential conflict of interest involving a city accountant and discrepancies in property record documentation. These issues have added layers of complexity to the trial, which centers on allegations that prompted the opposition to file impeachment articles against the Vice President.

Judges have made clear that witnesses who knowingly provide false statements under oath face serious legal consequences. The stern warnings underscore the court's determination to maintain the integrity of proceedings, even as challenges to establishing a clear factual record persist.

The trial continues as the court works to navigate the competing claims and incomplete recollections that have characterized much of the testimony to date.