Sen. Raffy Tulfo joins the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, July 14, 2026. Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit/File
MANILA — Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo on Thursday told prosecutors in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to be more discerning in their choice of witnesses.
Tulfo contended that the prosecution panel previously committed a lapse in judgement as to whom to present before the Senate impeachment court.
"Minsan, 'yung prosecution, sorry, pumapalpak-palpak kayo. There are times na naglalagay kayo ng mga witnesses dito na hindi naman kailangan talaga nagsasayang lang tayo ng oras," he said.
"So [kung] kukuha kayo ng witness, make sure na talaga 'yung witness na 'yon eh merong masasabing bagay na makakatulong sa ginagawang imbestigasyon sa impeachment," the senator said.
"Ingat kayo sa pagkuha ng mga witness at ingat sa pagsasalang ng mga abogado ninyo diyan."
Before his statements, Tulfo asked presiding officer Francis Escudero whether former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV would be presented as a witness Thursday.
Tulfo asked if a representative from the Anti-Money Laundering Council could testify only after Trillanes takes the witness stand.
This order of presentation will allow the AMLC to confirm any information in Trillanes' testimony, Tulfo said.
Bukidnon Second District Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores, a House prosecutor, said they would "take due notice and consider the advice of" Tulfo.
On Monday, senator-judges questioned the relevance of testimony from the chief of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office in relation to allegations that Duterte amassed unexplained wealth.
Escudero still allowed PNP-FEO chief Police Maj. Joercison Sangalang to proceed with his testimony but advised prosecutor San Juan Rep. Ysabel Zamora to shorten her questioning, saying the senator-judges "find this witness not as convincing with respect to ill-gotten wealth."
The Senate impeachment court is currently tackling Duterte's alleged unexplained wealth.
—With a report from Jaehwa bernardo, ABS-CBN News
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