Luistro says prosecution exceeds 25-witness target in Sara trial

House Lead Public Prosecutor Gerville Luistro said the prosecution panel has expanded its list of witnesses for the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, exceeding the previously announced target of 25 individuals.

Luistro said the decision was prompted by court rules requiring parties to identify witnesses during the pre-trial stage, as testimonies from individuals not included in the list may no longer be admitted during the proceedings.

"So if before, we're trying to limit corroborative witnesses, we're selecting only the most important witnesses, we wanted to make sure that all testimony will be presented in court, and that is why we considered other witnesses whose testimony are likewise significant," Luistro said.

Earlier, the prosecution had expressed confidence that 25 witnesses would be sufficient to support its case before the impeachment court.

Among those confirmed by Luistro are former senator Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV and alleged Duterte associate Ramil Madriaga, both of whom previously testified before the House Committee on Justice during hearings related to the impeachment complaint.

Their testimonies focused on allegations involving the Vice President's supposed unexplained wealth and the alleged misuse of confidential funds, which were later included among the Articles of Impeachment transmitted to the Senate.

San Juan Lone District Rep. Ysabel Zamora, a member of the prosecution panel, said the House may withhold the identities of certain witnesses for security reasons.

"We are also allowed to make a reservation of witnesses as long as we are able to give a description of the witness and the purpose for which they will be presented," Zamora explained.

Luistro added that the same principle applies to documentary evidence, noting that records and reports that are not readily available during the pre-trial stage may still be introduced later, subject to the applicable rules.

The prosecution panel is expected to finalize its witness list and evidence ahead of the impeachment trial before the Senate.