Defense skips cross examination of PNP official over VP’s firearms

MANILA, Philippines — The defense panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has forgone cross-examining a Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO) official after it was established that the supposed price of Duterte’s firearms was market value, not acquisition cost.

During the resumption of the trial on Monday, Duterte’s lawyer Carlo Joaquin Narvasa said they will no longer cross examine P/Maj. Joericson Sangalang, head of the PNP-FEO, since impeachment court Presiding Officer and Senator-judge Francis Escudero established through his questioning that the prices presented were merely market values as of the current year.

Escudero asked Sangalang regarding the total values of the firearms owned by Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.  The total, Sangalang said, exceeded P7.2 million.

Article continues after this advertisement

“Your Honor, since the Honorable Presiding Officer already established that it is the, what the testimony was all about the […] market value, and not the acquisition cost, nothing to cross, Your Honor,” Narvasa said.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Market values refer to the current price of an item, in this case, firearms.  However, Escudero and other senator-judges have noted that acquisition costs may differ from market value, as the guns may have been purchased at a discount, were not brand-new, or were gifts.

Several senator-judges initially did not see the relevance of the prosecution’s presentation of the list of firearms owned by the Duterte-Carpio couple as evidence for Article II of the Articles of Impeachment, which deals with allegations that the vice president has unexplained wealth.

Narvasa also opposed the public prosecutor’s line of questioning and that of San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, who presented Sangalang, saying the discussions on the firearms are not relevant to the case.

“Base po sa inyong certifications, ano po ang total value ng kanilang firearms based on your market survey?” Zamora asked Sangalang.

Article continues after this advertisement

(Based on your certifications, what is the total value of their firearms based on your market survey?)

“Your Honor, if I may only, apologies […] the total here is irrelevant because the witness has already admitted that these are just market surveys, and it is not the acquisition cost, and this certification is also misleading,” Narvasa countered.

Article continues after this advertisement

However, Escudero said this would be subject to cross-examination.  After this, he asked Sangalang for the total current market value of the firearms, which led the PNP-FEO official to reveal that Duterte’s firearms are estimated to be worth P2.184 million, while Carpio’s was P5.035 million.

“Subject to that qualification and subject to cross-examination.  Let’s go to the total just to set this aside already.  What’s the total for the guns allegedly owned by the Vice President and her spouse, Maj. Sangalang?” Escudero asked.  “May total kayo no’ng kay (Do you have a total for the) Vice President?”

“For Vice President Sara Duterte, it’s P2,184,550, and for Atty. Manases Carpio, it is P5,035,820,” Sangalang replied.

Escudero then clarified that these are just based on market values, and not acquisition costs — which Sangalang confirmed.

“And these again are based on your market surveys […] not acquisition cost, market survey and the price of the guns?” Escudero said.  “Not necessarily the acquisition cost of the guns.”

“Market survey and price of the guns,” Sangalang replied.

“Because you have no personal knowledge of the actual acquisition cost, if any, kasi baka binigay eh (maybe because it was merely given),” Escudero added, which the police official confirmed again.

Sangalang was the second witness presented by the prosecution on Monday, and is the fifth overall for Article II.

The matter of the Duterte-Carpio couple’s firearms being related to unexplained wealth allegations was first raised by public prosecutor and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon last June 16, when he said that they found new evidence for Duterte’s impeachment case

According to Ridon, Duterte has a significant stash of firearms worth millions that she failed to disclose in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

READ: Ridon: Undeclared firearms new evidence in Duterte impeachment case

Ridon initially said that there were more than 30 firearms, but in a later interview, the lawmaker said that there were 50 firearms — composed of rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers.

After Sangalang, the prosecution is expected to present Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, brother of the vice president, to shed light on the contracts entered into by the local government with Gencorp Industries Inc.

READ: Defense must explain Sara Duterte’s Gencorp interest – Tolosa

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

The prosecution claims the contracts are anomalous because Vice President Duterte declared a financial interest in Gencorp—even though corporate records show she was not listed as a shareholder. /gsg