MANILA, Philippines — The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte has dropped 15 bank representatives and a Davao City barangay captain on its list of witnesses in the ongoing impeachment trial.
Defense counsel Michael Poa announced late Wednesday that the team would only retain lawyer Paul Roderick Ysmael, senior vice president of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
“In the interest of time and as we don’t want to waste the time of the court, and to abbreviate the proceedings, we would be dispensing with the testimonies [of] the bank representatives, except for the BPI bank representative,” Poa said.
The 15 bank representatives dropped by the defense were:
* Olivia Barcarse and Atty. Alvin Go of BDO Unibank;
* Atty. Cesar Bernard Coloma of BPI;
* Atty. Marino Buban Jr. of EastWest Bank;
* Joselito Vallada of Landbank;
* Atty. Janella Marie Panlilio of Metrobank;
* Atty. Jose Manuel Jr., Rodel Mediavillo and May Ann Candaroma-Morales of Philippine Savings Bank;
* Atty. Joseph Anthony Lopez of Security Bank; and
* Atty. Joselito Banaag, Louiemel Panes, Rogelio Villos Jr., Jayah Deneserie Scalf and Gemma Lynn Del Mundo of UnionBank.
The defense also withdrew Matina Crossing, Davao City Punong Barangay Cindy Colina, who was supposed to testify on the barangay’s creation, official name and other names by which it is known.
Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison said the team would no longer present Colina, while leaving open the possibility of asking the impeachment court to take judicial notice of the barangay’s geographical divisions.
“This is of course without prejudice to any subsequent motion that we will make on the court’s taking judicial notice of the geographical divisions with respect to the subject barangay,” Sison said.
