Senator-judge Pia Cayetano rejected a request from lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro to respond during the opening day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial [1, 2].
The exchange highlights the procedural friction and high stakes surrounding the trial, as the Senate impeachment court determines the admissibility of critical witness testimony [2, 3].
The conflict arose when the prosecution attempted to introduce a statement from Arturo Lascañas, a self-confessed former hitman [1, 2]. The prosecution sought to present this statement through National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag [1, 2].
Cayetano objected to the reading of the statement. When Luistro requested an opportunity to respond to the objection, Cayetano said, "Not really" [1].
Following the exchange, Luistro expressed frustration over the ruling. Luistro said, "I felt deprived of the opportunity to explain" [2].
The proceedings took place at the Senate impeachment court in Manila [3]. The trial's start has already been marked by legal disputes, including a previous motion by Luistro to arraign the vice president that the court denied [3].
The use of statements from former operatives like Lascañas is a central point of contention, as the court must decide whether such evidence meets the legal threshold for testimony in an impeachment proceeding [1, 2].
“"Not really"”
The clash between Senator-judge Cayetano and Prosecutor Luistro underscores the volatility of the impeachment proceedings. By limiting the prosecution's ability to argue for the inclusion of Lascañas' statement, the court is signaling a strict adherence to evidentiary rules that may hinder the prosecution's strategy to use secondary witness accounts to build their case against the Vice President.
