Garin: Sara Duterte’s defense witnesses strengthened case against her

MANILA, Philippines — House Deputy Speaker Janette L. Garin of Iloilo said on Saturday that defense witnesses in the proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte have inadvertently strengthened the prosecution’s case.

Speaking at the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City, Garin argued that testimonies presented during the first week of the defense’s presentation produced answers favorable to the prosecution.

“The defense witnesses were actually able to strengthen [the case],” Garin said.

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READ: Witness: VP Duterte earned P2M from ‘loose investment’

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She questioned the strategic value of the testimonies, stating, “So you don’t know if they were really there to defend the respondent, our Vice President, or to further strengthen the evidence against our Vice President.”

Garin noted that the defense’s initial witnesses addressed property disclosures, city-government payments, and corporate financial arrangements. According to her assessment, these explanations placed Duterte in a more difficult position.

“Instead of helping the Vice President, they further implicated her,” Garin said.

She also cautioned that calling bank officers to the stand could further draw attention to financial records already cited by the prosecution. Garin argued that if bank representatives confirm existing accounts and records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), it would bring specific financial transactions back into focus.

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“We will bring back the issue of the aggregate transaction of P4.4 billion going out, coming in, and being transferred,” Garin said, referring to funds moving into, out of, and between accounts.

Garin also cited questions surrounding Cale88, pointing to discrepancies between the company’s income reported to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and transactions reflected in AMLC records. She questioned the advantage of presenting additional financial witnesses if their testimony merely confirms information already presented by the prosecution.