Jaehwa Bernardo

OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, the second hostile witness, answers questions from private prosecutor Atty. Mae Divinagracia during the direct examination on the 18th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial at the Senate in Pasay City on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. Ortonio is being questioned on matters related to his role and responsibilities at the Office of the Vice President (OVP), particularly on the use of confidential funds.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Impeachment

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/178822953571220260825-senate-impeachment-day18-MT4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio, the second hostile witness, answers questions from private prosecutor Atty. Mae Divinagracia during the direct examination on the 18th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial at the Senate in Pasay City on August 25, 2026.<em> Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Office of the Vice President Assistant Secretary Lemuel Ortonio was wearing an ear piercing when he testified last week and not an earpiece as photos on social media have suggested,  impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero said Tuesday.</p><p>Escudero made the statement after images circulated online suggesting that Ortonio may have been coached through an earpiece while giving his testimony.</p><p>&quot;We take this opportunity, after verification, [to clarify] that it was an AI-generated image and simply false,&quot; the senator said.</p><p>Escudero nevertheless reminded parties that &quot;every witness must testify, nevertheless, solely from his or her own knowledge, free from coaching or influence from counsel or any other person.&quot;</p><p>He said testimonies must not be &quot;scripted by any party.&quot;</p><p>He said witnesses would not be allowed to use any communication devices, including earpieces, headsets, cellphones, or similar devices, while testifying.</p><p>They are &quot;prohibited from receiving or attempting to receive any communication, suggestion, answer, signal, message or prompt from any person, whether inside or outside this court, regardless of the means employed.&quot;</p><p>Escudero also directed the clerk of court to inform witnesses of the rules on communication devices before they testify and collect all devices from them before they are sworn in.</p><p>Ortonio was called to testify in the trial over allegations that Duterte misused the OVP&#x27;s confidential funds, which she and her camp have denied.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/25/duterte-impeachment-trial-ovp-s-lemuel-ortonio-declared-hostile-witness-1115"><strong>Duterte impeachment trial: OVP&#x27;s Lemuel Ortonio declared hostile witness<br/></strong></a></div><p>At Wednesday&#x27;s hearing, the impeachment court tackled allegations that Duterte misused confidential funds of the Department of Education, which she previously headed. Duterte and her camp have also denied such allegations.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/9/1/live-updates-vice-president-sara-duterte-s-impeachment-trial-day-20-0947"><strong>LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s Impeachment Trial (Day 20)</strong></a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ec-lQH6pFrI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong><br/></strong></div>

<p>Sen. Francis Escudero, acting as the presiding officer over the Senate impeachment court, denied Tuesday allegations that a recent witness in the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte wore an earpiece while testifying.</p>

Sen. Francis Escudero, acting as the presiding officer over the Senate impeachment court, denied Tuesday allegations that a recent witness in the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte wore an earpiece while testifying.

Escudero: Photos of OVP's Ortonio wearing an earpiece on witness stand are fake

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Escudero: Photos of OVP's Ortonio wearing an earpiece on witness stand are fake

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 01, 2026 10:49 AM PHT

|

Updated September 01, 2026 10:54 AM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Francis Escudero

Lemuel Ortonio

earpiece

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