Marilyn Cahatol

Senator-judges question former Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Roderick Wamil as he testifies for the prosecution on the 13th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Wamil answered questions on the Audit Observation Memo sent to the Office of the Vice President, which is being scrutinized under Article I of the impeachment complaint alleging the misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Impeachment

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178634903810420260805-senate-impeachment-day13-coa-wamil-MT3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senator-judges question former Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Roderick Wamil as he testifies for the prosecution on the 13th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Wamil answered questions on the Audit Observation Memo sent to the Office of the Vice President, which is being scrutinized under Article I of the impeachment complaint alleging the misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator-judges question former Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Roderick Wamil as he testifies for the prosecution on the 13th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Wamil answered questions on the Audit Observation Memo sent to the Office of the Vice President, which is being scrutinized under Article I of the impeachment complaint alleging the misuse and misappropriation of confidential funds. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — House prosecution legal spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. called it “very dangerous” to release statements that attack a court’s integrity, adding this may also be considered contemptuous, in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s “bending the law” allegation.</p><p>For Tolosa, this may destroy people’s confidence in the impeachment proceedings.</p><p>Duterte earlier alleged there is &quot;bending of the law&quot; in the proceedings against her.</p><p>Litigants may criticize courts, but they can never attack its integrity, according to Tolosa.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/7/house-prosecution-bending-of-the-law-is-in-ovp-s-confidential-expenses-1810">House prosecution: &#x27;Bending of the law&#x27; is in OVP’s confidential expenses</a></div><p>“Malinaw ho ‘yan sa jurisprudence. Madami nang cases na nagsasabi na if a litigant attacks the integrity of the court, that actually constitutes not just violation of the sub judice rule, but even an act that’s considered as a contempt of court or contemptuous,” Tolosa said in a press conference on Monday.</p><p>“Ang rules nga diyan if you say something that attacks the integrity of the court, that is very dangerous, especially in this kind of case of this magnitude. Kasi nga it may destroy the people&#x27;s confidence in the impeachment proceedings. It could cause prejudgment,” Tolosa added.</p><p>But Tolosa clarified the decision on the statement, which allegedly violates the sub judice rule, ultimately depends on the impeachment court.</p><p>The prosecution team will avail of appropriate remedies to compel Duterte’s former special disbursing officers (SDO) Gina Acosta and Edward Fajarda to testify should they be absent during resumption of trial.</p><p>The two are set to be presented by the House prosecution as <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/9/prosecution-to-present-duterte-disbursing-officers-as-hostile-witnesses-ridon-1013">“hostile witnesses,”</a> according to House prosecutor Terry Ridon.</p><p>“Kung hindi nila susundan ang na-issue na subpoena ng impeachment court then we&#x27;ll avail of the appropriate remedies under the law,” Tolosa told the media.</p><p>“We’re hoping that they’ll just follow the directive to appear before the impeachment court para hindi na magkaroon ng problema. But in case they won’t do that then ang susunod diyan, we’ll probably ask the court to issue a show cause order to these people para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataon na to explain, ipaliwanag nila bakit hindi sila humarap. At kapag hindi sila nakapagbigay ng sufficient justification, the court will probably issue or cite them in contempt to compel their attendance,” Tolosa added.</p><p>The counsel for the prosecutors also earlier said they plan to discuss what seemed to be a delay in the stipulation of documents in the trial with impeachment court presiding officer Senator Francis Escudero.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/10/senate-on-wfh-setup-on-aug-10-no-impeachment-trial-0748">Senate on WFH setup on Aug. 10; no impeachment trial</a></div><p>Tolosa mentioned then this was to tell the lawmaker the prosecution did not cause this alleged delay.</p><p>This would be brought up in open court, according to Tolosa.</p><p>During the press conference, Tolosa said, “We were supposed to do it during the hearing today, but since it got canceled so we’ll probably raise it tomorrow. To be fair, it would be better if we do it in open court since after all, that directive was given by the presiding officer during the hearing, itself… We&#x27;ll raise it in open court as well.”</p><div> </div><div><strong>‘COORDINATED, SYSTEMATIC’ TARGETING</strong></div><p>House Deputy Speaker and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin alleged prosecutors and those supporting accountability in relation to the impeachment trial are being targeted online in a “coordinated, systematic,” and “well-funded” effort.</p><p>Garin added, the supposed “bashing” and “fake news” also has to do with programs under the administration.</p><p>“Nakikita naman natin na kung sino ‘yung active hindi lamang doon sa impeachment kundi doon sa mga programa ng administrasyon ay nagkakaroon ng bashing. Hindi lang ‘yung bashing. Ang mas nakakatakot ay ‘yung fake news. Kasi ‘yung mga ina-attach na kunyari bumaha o ganito na parang hirap na hirap ‘yung mga tao at lumalangoy– ‘yung iba are pictures from years, years ago. Ang iba naman ay hindi naman sa Pilipinas,” Garin said.</p><p>“So there’s really a coordinated, systematic, well-funded targeting not only the prosecutors including the spokesperson and other figures who are behind the campaign for accountability and a clean governance under the current administration. So ang panawagan lang natin sa taong bayan, huwag magpadala sa pekeng balita,” Garin added.</p><p>Prior to this, House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega alleged around P5 million was spent on online advertisements to spread misleading content on the situation in La Union amid severe weather conditions.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/8/ortega-says-la-union-flood-control-projects-intact-1707">Ortega says La Union flood control projects intact</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8yhn3lgMfGs?si=ohheixJXZ1O9wJPh" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>House prosecution legal spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. called it “very dangerous” to release statements that attack a court’s integrity, adding this may also be considered contemptuous, in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s “bending the law” allegation.</p>

House prosecution legal spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. called it “very dangerous” to release statements that attack a court’s integrity, adding this may also be considered contemptuous, in response to Vice President Sara Duterte’s “bending the law” allegation.

‘Very dangerous’ to attack Senate impeachment court’s integrity, says Tolosa

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‘Very dangerous’ to attack Senate impeachment court’s integrity, says Tolosa

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 10, 2026 04:15 PM PHT

Read More:

impeachment

vice president

prosecution

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