Sara defense: Silence on cross-exam not inability to explain

The defense of Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday said its refusal to publicly address questions about its cross-examination of a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) official should not be construed as an inability to explain its position.

Defense deputy spokesperson Justin Gular repeatedly invoked the sub judice rule when asked to respond to prosecutors’ characterization of the defense’s questioning of SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department Director Gerardo Del Rosario as potentially damaging to Duterte’s case.

“Our refusal to answer certain questions at this point of the proceeding is not done because we don't have any answer,” Gular said.

“We just think it's premature and inappropriate to answer those questions at this stage of the proceedings,” he added.

Gular said the defense raised certain matters during its cross-examination because it considered them relevant and important, but would leave it to the Senate impeachment court to determine their significance.

The defense lawyer said the camp would address the issues through its own evidence rather than explain its position while the prosecution was still presenting its case.

“We don't want to preempt our presentation, we don't want to prematurely answer questions that would be more appropriately presented at the time that it's the defense's turn to present evidence,” Gular said.

Del Rosario testified on Monday about corporate records involving Metro City Chow Foods Corp., GenCorp Industries Inc. and other companies linked to Duterte. The prosecution is examining corporate earnings, shareholdings, dividend records and Duterte’s declared business interests as part of its case on alleged unexplained wealth.

SEC records presented during the trial showed Duterte remained a director of Metro City Chow Foods Corp. from 2022 through 2025, after she assumed the vice presidency. Del Rosario also testified that she held a 20-percent stake in the company.

The SEC official also testified that Duterte declared GenCorp Industries Inc. as a business interest in her 2024 and 2025 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, although her name did not appear as an incorporator, director or stockholder in the corporate records presented to the court.

Del Rosario said an indirect interest could exist if Duterte controlled JTC Group of Companies Philippines Inc., which the SEC records identified as GenCorp’s largest subscriber. However, the records presented to the impeachment court did not by themselves establish that Duterte controlled JTC.

The prosecution has been using the SEC records to examine Duterte’s declared business interests and corporate links under Article II of the impeachment complaint, which alleges unexplained wealth.

The defense has meanwhile questioned the prosecution’s presentation of an SEC summary of Duterte’s alleged shareholdings, arguing that the way corporate figures were presented could influence public perception of the case.

The Senate impeachment court is now on the 28th day of Duterte’s trial, with the prosecution continuing to present evidence on her alleged unexplained wealth and corporate interests.