By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Manila 6th District Rep. Benny Abante acknowledged Monday that he fell asleep during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the defense lawyers’ questions had become too slow and tedious to keep him awake.
Abante’s brief dozing prompted presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero to pause the proceedings while Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) Division Chief Rendell Sopeña was being questioned.
Escudero asked two House lawmakers seated in the gallery to wake Abante after noticing that the congressman had fallen asleep during the proceedings.
Abante later defended the nap, saying the nature of the defense’s questioning made it difficult for him to stay alert.
“Nakakaantok ’yong mga tanong ng mga defense lawyers kaya nakatulog ako. Masarap makinig pero kapag malamya na, nakakaantok na,” Abante told reporters on the sidelines of the trial.
He also pointed to repeated objections from the prosecution team, saying these were raised because some of the defense lawyers’ questions were not aligned with what the witnesses were supposed to answer.
“‘Yung mga tanong kasi ng defense lawyers palaging ino-object ng prosecution team dahil hindi naman ayon doon sa dapat isagot ng mga witness,” Abante said.
After being awakened, Abante remained inside the gallery but moved to a seat farther away from the cameras.
“I just kept awake,” he said.
Sopeña completed his testimony before the Senate impeachment court suspended proceedings for lunch on the 30th day of Duterte’s trial.
The chamber was expected to resume with Police Maj. Gen. Joericson Sangalang of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office taking the witness stand.
ia/xf
