By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte enters its second week on Monday with the House prosecution panel expected to call National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc to the witness stand.
Lotoc is slated to become the prosecution’s second witness after last week’s proceedings wrapped up sooner than anticipated due to his absence from the Senate when the initial witness concluded testimony.
Following the shortened hearing, Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson suggested that both the prosecution and defense ensure all witnesses scheduled for the week remain on standby within the Senate complex. He said the arrangement would enable the impeachment court to move directly to the next witness whenever time permits.
Lacson explained that the proposal is intended to make better use of the court’s allotted hearing hours while preserving the vice president’s right to a prompt and fair trial without affecting the orderly presentation of evidence.
He added that unless the pace of the proceedings improves, the impeachment trial could continue into the Christmas season and possibly beyond. ia/xf
