By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense panel said Monday they “did not expect” the prosecution to bring up Davao City Assessor Jaime Adalin’s previous trip to China, saying they were “unaware” that their first witness had traveled to the country tagged in alleged remittances sent to firms linked to her family.
Adalin was called to the witness stand to verify whether the Vice President declared all her properties in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. But the prosecution and several senators shifted the questioning to the city assessor’s trip to China to test the official’s impartiality and credibility as a witness in Duterte’s impeachment trial.
“We did not expect that to be honest. We also did not know that there was such a trip,” defense spokesperson Michael Poa said.
“The witness already mentioned that it was a personal trip, but again, it is up to the appreciation of the court. As far as we are concerned, we cannot stop the senator-judges,” he told reporters.
Poa said the defense “respects” the lawmakers’ curiosity.
“In the end, the focus went to China but we have to respect the curiosity of the senators if there really was such a trip… As far as the direct examination is concerned, it is really on the property because that is the issue of unexplained wealth,” he said.
“The point is to show whether or not the property was included in the SALN,” he added.
Vice President Duterte has said the Philippines should maintain good relations with China.
The defense will wait if Adalin will submit additional certifications to the court to support his claims about the Vice President’s properties in Davao City before deciding if they need to call additional witnesses.
“If that certification comes and that certification is accomplished by someone else, then perhaps we will have to call someone else. Let’s first see what the content of the certification will be,” he said.
“As to whether they believe the certification or not, it will really be up to them.”
ia/xf
