MANILA – House prosecutor and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon praised career government officials who have testified in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s impeachment trial, saying they have remained consistent despite intense questioning and the risks involved in testifying against a high-ranking government official.

“Mataas po ‘yung pagtingin namin sa mga witnesses po namin dahil ang totoo, even if they are badgered by whoever it is, by the defense or whoever it is, ang mahalaga, they’re speaking their truth and more importantly, they are speaking truth to power,” Ridon said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

The prosecution has so far presented National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Special Agent John Mark Calilung, NBI-Bangsamoro Regional Director Atty. Jeremy Lotoc and NBI Director Melvin Matibag in connection with Article IV of the impeachment complaint.

Article IV centers on Duterte’s statement that she had contracted someone to kill President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she herself were killed.

Calilung authenticated a Nov. 23, 2024 video containing Duterte’s alleged threats.

Lotoc testified on the NBI investigation that led the bureau to recommend three counts of grave threats and one count of inciting to sedition against Duterte.

Matibag, meanwhile, testified on the broader NBI investigation into the alleged threats and the bureau’s assessment of Duterte’s statements.

The impeachment trial has since shifted to Article I, which involves the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) during Duterte’s tenure as head of both agencies.

Commission on Audit (COA) State Auditor Roderick Wamil testified on the audit and liquidation of the confidential funds and the irregularities flagged by the state audit agency.

COA-Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office Supervising Auditor Celine May Del Campo has also taken the witness stand, with her testimony still ongoing.

Ridon, who chairs the House Committee on Public Accounts, noted that many of the prosecution’s witnesses are career personnel from government investigative and accountability agencies.

He said the stakes are particularly high for government employees who take the witness stand in an impeachment proceeding involving the Vice President.

“Ibig sabihin, mataas po ‘yung nakataya sa kanila dito po sa pag-upo nila sa impeachment witness stand,” he said.

Despite the pressure, Ridon said the witnesses have remained consistent in their accounts.

“But they’re speaking their truth, hindi po sila nagbabago-bago ng kanilang pahayag mula umpisa hanggang dulo. Pareho ang kanilang kwento, pareho po ang kanilang revelation,” he said.

Ridon said the prosecution expects the same consistency from the witnesses it will present for the remainder of the trial.

“This is our expectation in all of the witnesses that we will be presenting until the very end,” he said.

He added that the prosecution remains satisfied with how its witnesses have handled questioning from the senator-judges and the defense.

“We are doing it on a day-to-day basis and we are satisfied at the manner by which the witnesses have been presenting themselves,” Ridon said.