Sara defense hits last-minute prosecution witness change

The defense on Thursday cried foul over the prosecution’s last-minute move to change the order of its witnesses, saying it left Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal team with little time to prepare for a financial analyst who was not originally scheduled to testify.

Defense lead counsel Sheila Sison questioned whether the prosecution’s late notice was enough to give the defense a fair opportunity to prepare for the witness and examine the financial evidence he was expected to present.

“We don’t know if this belated notice, ultra-belated notice, will suffice to afford the respondent the opportunity to prepare for their supposed forensic financial analyst,” Sison told the Senate impeachment court during the 36th day of the trial.

“This is really unfair for the prosecution to just replace its witness at the last minute and expect us to examine that witness today,” she added.

House prosecutor Terry Ridon earlier asked the court to allow the prosecution to present the financial analyst first because the lawyer handling its Bureau of Internal Revenue witness was ill.

The proposed change would have moved the financial analyst ahead of the BIR witness in the prosecution’s lineup for Thursday.

The court did not immediately proceed with the witness presentation. Instead, Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero later agreed to Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s appeal to adjust the day’s schedule to accommodate the Senate plenary session at 1 p.m.

Escudero said the impeachment court would resume proceedings at around 2:30 p.m. or 3 p.m., depending on when the plenary session ends.

He also said the court could end proceedings for the day if the prosecution’s next witness, Matib, was unavailable when the trial resumed.

“If Matib is not available, the court will call it a day and hopefully present the BIR witness tomorrow with or without Atty. Erwin as the first witness, thereafter Atty. Cabrera and other witnesses thereafter,” Escudero said.

The court then went into an early lunch break.