Cheyenne Suarez

Ridon slams Paolo Duterte's claim of impeachment trial 'pre-determined narrative'

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787305154390paolo.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Ridon slams Paolo Duterte&#x27;s claim of impeachment trial &#x27;pre-determined narrative&#x27; "/></div><p>MANILA - The claim that  Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has a “pre-determined narrative” has no basis, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon.</p><p>Ridon issued the statement after Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte said that his sister’s hope for a “speedy” impeachment proceeding does not mean “speedy surrender to a pre-determined narrative”.</p><p>“Walang predetermined narrative. Kasi ang ibig sabihin ng predetermined narrative, hindi ko kasali ‘yung defense panel doon eh. Pero kita naman natin, kasali naman po ‘yung defense panel at ang pangalang Pangulo dito sa kabuuan po ng takbo ng impeachment trial po natin. So, I don&#x27;t think it is accurate to even say na mayrooon pong predetermined narrative,” Ridon asserted.</p><p>“Yun pong pre-determined narrative na binabanggit, tingin ko wala po itong batayan sa katotohanan,” he added.</p><p>Ridon believes the Vice President’s physical presence in her impeachment trial is becoming increasingly necessary, as more witnesses testified on the allegations in the articles of impeachment. </p><p>Former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta had told the Senate Impeachment Court that the Vice President ordered her to transfer P125 million in confidential funds to Col. Raymund Dante Lachica in December 2022.</p><p>Last Wednesday, Duterte said her participation in the trial is through her counsels.</p><p>“Dahil hindi naman ako abogado para sa impeachment doon so wala akong matutulong doon sa proseso ng pag-present ng witness, cross-examine ng witness. Lahat ‘yun ay trabaho ng abogado. At ‘yan ‘yung participation at appearance ko doon,” she said.</p><p>“Tama naman, hindi po siya abugado nito pong impeachment trial. Pero siya po yung nasasakdal.. Siya po ‘yung akusado. So malaki po ‘yung bahagi na maiaambag ng ating pangalawang Pangulo, hindi lang po doon sa presentasyon ng ebidensya, kundi kahit doon po sa kabuang latag po at paghanda ng depensa dito po sa bagay na ito,” Ridon replied.</p><p>“Kasi sa bawat araw po na dumaraan, ‘yung pong hakbang-hakbang at piece by piece po na pagpapakita ng ebidensya. Pabigat ho nang pabigat ito eh. Lalo’t higit nakita ho natin doon sa testimonya ni Ms. Acosta, siya na mismo ‘yung itinuturo ng kanya ho mismong tauhan na nag-utos ng pagbibigay noon pong perang P125 million kay Mr. Lachica. So, very important ho na makita ho at the very least ‘yung presensya ng ating pong Pangalawang Pangulo dito sa pagtatakbo ng paglilitis po niya mismo,” he stressed.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>ASLEEP?</strong></div><p>The House Impeachment Prosecutor, meanwhile, slammed former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo’s claim that the witnesses presented by the prosecution are “worthless” and “useless”.</p><p>“Una sa lahat, hindi ako sure kung aling bahagi po ‘yung na-monitor niya, kasi may panahon na tulog siya doon sa kanyang araw-araw na pagpunta sa paglilitis… Pangalawa, tingin ko naman ho, naging very fair ang ating presiding officer dito po sa kanya pong pagpapatakbo nito pong paglilitis po na ito… We are very much confident doon po sa pagkaka-presenta ng aming mga testigo,” Ridon said.</p><p>He hopes the defense will contribute to expediting the impeachment proceedings, after their client, the Vice President, said she wants a “speedy” trial. Ridon noted that “manuevers” from the Defense team previously caused delays in the proceeedings.</p><p>“Mayroon talagang ilang mga maneuvers na ginawa ‘yung depensa, para ma-delay ‘yung proceedings. So, katulad ng mga common exhibits, it is basically the same exhibits, acknowledgement receipts, pero they did not want to stipulate… Syempre, ‘yung expediting the proceedings naman cuts both ways. So it&#x27;s not just for us, it&#x27;s also for the defense, but also for the court itself. So hopefully, ‘yun ho ‘yung mapagkaisahan. ‘Yung mga pwedeng mga stipulate na common exhibits, dapat hindi na ho talaga ‘yan pinapatagal, lalo&#x27;t higit galing din naman sa kanila ito pong mga dokumento pong ito,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>TARGET SCHEDULE</strong></div><p>The prosecution targets to wrap up their presentation of evidence by end of September, according to Ridon. This will be followed by the Defense team’s presentation of evidence.</p><p>Ridon shares the goal of Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian for the impeachment trial to conclude by December this year.</p><p>He is amenable to holding longer trial hours or adding Thursdays to the Monday to Wednesday schedule for the impeachment trial.</p><p>“We will try to wrap up all of the presentation of evidence hopefully by the end of next month, para mayroon pong pagkakataon ‘yun pong depensa na mailatag po nila ‘yung kanilang ebidensya from October up until probably the end of or middle of November. So we will see po. But hopefully nga, before December matapos na po ‘yung paglilitis,” Ridon said.</p><p>“Kung kaya hong mag-apat na araw or kung kaya hong mas mahaba ‘yung panahon nung paglilitis bawat araw, I think that is something that the Senate Impeachment Court should look into,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>“FAKE NEWS”</strong></div><p>Ridon plans to coordinate with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to look into the personalities behind a fake quote that circulated online, which targeted him.</p><p>The quote was falsely attributed to defense counsel Atty. Michael Poa, who denied making the statement.</p><p>“At the start of the week mayroon pong fake news na nag-debate kami supposedly. Pero it is something that he disowned and we thank him for that. He has my friendship and he has my respect on the matter,” Ridon said.</p><p>“But ‘yung wala akong respeto, ;yung pong mga actually nag-unleash ng fake quote ni Atty. Poa and I think it is something that we will look further into on who these personalities are… I think very notorious po ‘yan sa paglalabas ng mga fake quote cards. Not just for their defense but also more particularly for House Prosecution Panel members at iba pa,” he added.</p><p>“So we will coordinate with the CICC on the matter to look further into the personalities behind ito pong mga ganitong fake news. Kasi siyempre this is precisely the information ecosystem that will be under threat pagka po nagkaroon ng paghihigpit doon po sa public information mechanisms na ginagawa po ng prosecution, defense at Senate Impeachment Court dito sa paglilitis na ito. There will be a vacuum in information at ito nga pong mga fake news peddlers… will be the ones to fill in the gaps. So hindi talaga natin ‘yan dapat payagan at kailangan po natin talaga yan habulin,” Ridon said.</p>

<p>The claim that Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has a “pre-determined narrative” has no basis, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon.</p>

The claim that Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has a “pre-determined narrative” has no basis, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon.