MANILA— Dean Ralph Sarmiento has declined to testify as a defense witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing his desire to preserve the independence of his constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of his legal views.

In a statement dated Thursday, Nov. 5, Sarmiento said he had informed the defense team of his decision and asked it to withdraw its request for a subpoena compelling his appearance before the impeachment court.

If a subpoena has already been issued, he asked the team to seek its recall.

“I thank the Defense Team of VP Sara Duterte for recognizing the value of the constitutional and legal views I have been sharing on social media. I had not anticipated that these views might potentially become part of the impeachment proceedings,” Sarmiento said.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to decline participation as a witness in the proceedings. This is a personal decision to preserve the independence of my constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of my legal views and opinions,” he added.

Sarmiento said he would remain committed to helping the public understand the Constitution through independent and balanced legal analysis.

The impeachment trial is scheduled to resume on Monday, Nov. 9, when Duterte’s defense team is expected to begin presenting its witnesses. Sarmiento had been slated to testify for the defense.