World · Philippines Bureau
Prosecution drops CSC official from Duterte impeachment witness list
The House prosecution panel has withdrawn a Civil Service Commission assistant commissioner as a witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing concerns about the relevance of his testimony on financial disclosure requirements.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The prosecution team handling the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte has decided to drop Civil Service Commission (CSC) Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo from its witness lineup, House prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon announced this week.
Ronquillo had been scheduled as the prosecution's opening witness to testify on matters related to the preparation and filing of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), a key financial disclosure document required of government officials.
Ridon indicated that the decision to withdraw Ronquillo reflected a strategic reassessment of the prosecution's case presentation, though the exact reasoning behind removing the CSC official was not fully detailed.
The move comes as the impeachment trial continues to unfold in the House of Representatives, with both the prosecution and defense panels presenting evidence and witnesses to support their respective positions. The trial centers on allegations against the Vice President, with financial disclosures and related matters forming part of the investigation's focus.
The prosecution panel has not disclosed which witness will replace Ronquillo in the week's schedule or provided further details about adjustments to its witness presentation strategy.