De Lima: More witnesses to testify in VP Duterte impeachment trial

House prosecution panel member Leila de Lima said additional witnesses, including National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, are expected to testify during the second week of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"There would be, of course, additional witnesses. The other witnesses have already received subpoenas, and the testimony of Senior Agent John Mark Calilung will be supplemented," De Lima said during the Saturday News Forum.

The congresswoman said Calilung, the prosecution panel's first witness, was presented to authenticate video recordings of Vice President Duterte containing alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

"It would be strengthened because that is only the foundation. So, brick by brick, we are going to make it stronger," De Lima said.

She added that several witnesses who have received subpoenas are expected to appear next week, including NBI Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, House of Representatives Legislative Security Bureau Executive Director Capt. Belinda Bello, NBI Director Atty. Melvin Matibag, and Office of the Vice President Chief of Staff Atty. Zuleika Lopez.

"And this will be followed by several witnesses who will either corroborate or further explain what those pieces of evidence mean—the authentication evidence and the results of the NBI's investigation into those recordings," De Lima said.

She also emphasized that the prosecution team spent the first week of the Senate impeachment trial presenting evidence to support the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment.

"Every prosecution starts with allegations and must end with proof," she said.

"So, the first week was important because the prosecution started converting the allegations contained in the Articles of Impeachment into evidence, which was tested or subjected to cross-examination," De Lima added.