VP Duterte defense withdraws Dean Sarmiento as witness

MANILA, Philippines – The defense panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has withdrawn their subpoena request for law professor Dean Ralph Sarmiento.

In a manifestation submitted to the impeachment court on Thursday, November 5, the defense panel requested that the court either cancel or recall the subpoena for Sarmiento.

“Respondent-Accused, by counsel, respectfully manifests that out of respect for Dean Ralph Sarmiento’s decision, the Defense will no longer present him as a witness,” the defense wrote.

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It added: “A subpoena for him is therefore no longer needed, and if one has already been issued, it is respectfully requested that the same be recalled.”

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Senate impeachment court clerk Atty. Renato Bantug also confirmed receipt of the manifestation in a text message on Friday, Nov. 6.

“I am officially confirming that a manifestation has been filed by the Defense that they will no longer present Sarmiento as a witness,” Bantug said.

Sarmiento was listed as the first of the 25 defense witnesses to be presented from Nov. 9 to 13, however, in a public statement on Thursday, the lawyer said he cannot testify for either parties in the trial.

He explained that his decision was to preserve the “independence of [his] constitutional law scholarship and impartiality of [his] legal views and opinions.” /ms