Relevance of VP Duterte’s firearms ownership in impeach trial questioned

MANILA, Philippines – Some senator-judges shared on Monday their qualms about the relevance of tackling the firearms owned by Vice President Sara Duterte as the impeachment court continued examining her alleged unexplained wealth.

The senator-judges questioned the importance of the House prosecution panel’s presentation of Police Major Joericson Sangalang of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office (PNP-FEO).

Upon presenting their witness, House prosecutor Rep. Ysabel Zamora offered Sangalang’s testimony to include, among others, that Duterte and her spouse, Manases Carpio, “maintain a hobby in gun collecting by owning… more than 50 firearms… with a value of at least P7 million.”

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“Ano po ang relevance ng magiging statement ni Maj. Sangalan dito sa pinaguusapan natin tungkol po sa hidden wealth o unexplained wealth… Kung sasabihin na napakarami ng firearms, marami naman pong Pilipino na marami ring firearms. Marami mga collector ng mga baril, mga businessman, mga officials na maraming baril, so I don’t see the relevance,” Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo said.

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(What is the relevance of Maj. Sangalan’s statement here when we are talking about hidden wealth or unexplained wealth… If it is said that there are a lot of firearms, there are many Filipinos who also have a lot of firearms. There are many gun collectors, businessmen, officials who have a lot of guns, so I don’t see the relevance) 

READ: Prosecution, defense teams clash anew on Sara Duterte’s bank records

He earlier questioned, in jest, whether Duterte’s firearms contained diamonds or gold for such a matter to be tackled. 

Tulfo was joined by Senator-judge Juan Miguel Zubiri, who likewise expressed reluctance to present Sangalang, citing similar reasons.

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“We just wanna make sure of the relevance of this particular evidence. Because many of us are firearms owners here, if not all members of the Senate… I don’t see any violation that I feel would happen if the vice president had done that… I don’t think it’s that much weight,” Zubiri stated.

Senator-judge Vicente Sotto III joined the two, noting that even he has firearms but they are declared in his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth under personal properties. 

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They were also joined by Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano, who said his reservations come from the expressed desire of both parties to expedite the impeachment proceedings.

Defense counsel Carlo Narvasa commented that even their party believes the “witness is irrelevant.”

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Although presiding officer Francis Escudero also expressed that Sangalang’s testimony is “not as convincing in respect to ill-gotten wealth” compared to those of prior witnesses, Escudero allowed the presentation but asked that the prosecution make the examination short. /gsg