By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte wrapped up its first week on Wednesday with the defense questioning the prosecution’s key evidence, arguing that the Vice President’s controversial remarks had been taken out of context and did not constitute an impeachable offense.
The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, spent much of the third day hearing the continued cross-examination of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who authenticated the video of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 livestream in which she allegedly made statements concerning President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Defense lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa presented additional portions of the more than two-hour livestream, arguing that the prosecution had isolated Duterte’s statements from the events that preceded them.
The defense maintained that the remarks came amid heightened tensions following the detention of Duterte’s chief of staff, Zuleika Lopez, during congressional hearings into the alleged use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
Narvasa told the impeachment court that the defense was presenting the full context of the statements, claiming they were made in response to what he described as the House of Representatives’ treatment of Lopez.
Defense counsel Mark Vinluan also argued that the prosecution had failed to establish any evidence that Duterte had hired, directed, or conspired with anyone to carry out violence against the President or his family.
He maintained that the allegations, even if accepted as presented, should be resolved through the regular criminal justice system rather than through impeachment proceedings.
Calilung remained on the witness stand for a second day as the defense and several senator-judges questioned the authenticity of the video and the methods used in its forensic examination.
The NBI officer testified that he personally recorded the livestream from its online source and later verified it against the original broadcast as part of the bureau’s digital forensic process.
Responding to questions about artificial intelligence, Calilung said AI-generated videos generally contain detectable indicators or platform disclosures and noted that the lengthy livestream did not display characteristics commonly associated with AI-generated content.
The defense later clarified that it was not accusing the prosecution of presenting an altered recording but was simply testing the reliability of the evidence and the credibility of the witness through cross-examination.
Several senator-judges also questioned Calilung regarding his professional qualifications and training in digital forensics.
As proceedings concluded, Senator Bam Aquino appealed to both parties to make the presentation of evidence more focused and efficient, saying the public deserved proceedings that were easier to follow.
Presiding Officer Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero agreed that the trial should move more efficiently in the coming days as both parties became more familiar with the process.
Escudero likewise reminded prosecutors, defense lawyers, and senator-judges to refrain from making premature conclusions while evidence is still being presented and urged all participants to observe the rules governing impeachment proceedings.
The impeachment court is set to resume next week, with Duterte’s chief of staff Zuleika Lopez expected to testify as the Senate continues hearing the case against the Vice President.
ai/xf
