Politics · Philippines Bureau
Prosecution withdraws stroke-stricken witness from Duterte impeachment trial
The prosecution team has withdrawn a former Department of Education official from Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment proceedings as he recovers from a stroke. Edward Fajarda was set to testify regarding allegations of misused confidential funds.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The prosecution panel handling Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial has decided to withdraw Edward Fajarda, a former special disbursing officer at the Department of Education, from its witness list due to health concerns.
Fajarda was scheduled to testify in late August regarding Article I of the impeachment complaint, which centers on allegations of misuse of confidential funds within DepEd during Duterte's tenure as education secretary. The withdrawal comes as Fajarda recovers from a stroke.
The decision to remove Fajarda from the witness roster marks a notable shift in the prosecution's strategy as the high-profile trial continues. The impeachment case against Duterte, filed by a group of lawmakers, has drawn significant public attention given her position as the country's second-highest official.
The prosecution team has not announced whether it plans to call alternative witnesses to address the allegations related to confidential fund management. The trial is expected to proceed with other scheduled testimonies as the case moves forward.