Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte cannot skip the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice-President Sara Duterte, after the Senate impeachment court issued a subpoena for his testimony, an impeachment prosecutor said Monday.
Lead impeachment prosecutor Gerville Luistro said the right against self-incrimination is not a blanket privilege that negates a Senate subpoena, adding that the right is applicable “to the question being raised if the answer will incriminate you.”
“Sana dumating dahil significant ang kanyang magiging testimony,” she told DZMM.
She said the same can be said for VP Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, if the court decides to summon both to the trial.
An impeachment spokesman earlier said the Davao Mayor will be asked questions about the Vice-President’s alleged unexplained wealth. Luistro said the younger Duterte could be presented before the impeachment trial this week.
In the interview, Luistro admitted the younger Duterte will be a hostile witness for the prosecution, adding that the prosecution panel “did not have a choice” despite the difficulty of presenting a hostile witness as a general rule. “Wala na kami choice,” she said.
She also defended impeachment prosecutors Terry Ridon and Benjamin Tolosa after the 2 lawyers for the prosecution received show cause orders from the Senate impeachment court over possible violations of the sub judice rule.
While prosecutors will submit to the authority of the court, Luistro asked the impeachment court to “be fair”, adding that other quarters, which she did not name, also violated the rule. She noted the sub judice rule applies not only to the prosecution and defense but also the senator-judges, the witnesses and the respondent herself, VP Sara Duterte.