Prosecution to comply if impeachment court allows defense to present first — Ridon

Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon said the House prosecution panel will comply with any directive from the Senate impeachment court, including if it allows the defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte to present its case first during next week's trial on Wednesday.

"So if we present our evidence and then move on to the misuse of confidential funds, then we will present it on Wednesday," Ridon said during a forum on Saturday.

"But if it is the determination of the Senate impeachment court that the defense team should go first with its presentation on the Articles of Impeachment, then we will, of course, comply with it," the congressman added.

According to Ridon, the prosecution panel expects to begin presenting the Articles of Impeachment on the alleged misuse of confidential funds during Wednesday's trial, with several witnesses lined up to testify.

He added that the prosecution is hoping to present Land Bank officials and employees, possessing direct knowledge of the processing and withdrawal of the confidential funds.

Among those recently subpoenaed witnesses by the Senate impeachment court are former Land Bank Shaw Boulevard Branch Manager Violeta Constantino and former Land Bank Department of Education Branch Manager Nenita Camposano, both expected to testify during next week's impeachment trial.

"Also next week, the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), the AMLC (Anti-Money Laundering Council), and the banks are expected to submit the documents subpoenaed by the Senate impeachment court, particularly those related to the records of the Duterte-Carpio spouses and their companies," Ridon said.