Private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan said Vice President Sara Duterte should show up at her impeachment trial if she says she is innocent of the charges against her.
“Sabi niya innocent siya, hindi ba. Pag innocent ka, humarap ka. Kasi pag innocent ka, hindi mo gagamitin ang social media na korte. Mag-appear ka sa korte and you prove your case,” Kapunan said on Bilyonaryo News Channel’s “Politiko Talks.”
She also noted that Duterte said she wanted a speedy trial and added that she thought the trial would have moved faster if the Vice President had been present.
Duterte, who has yet to appear before the Impeachment Court, earlier said she does not consider her presence necessary for the trial to move swiftly.
She noted that she is fully represented by her defense team.
She also said she is not acting as a lawyer for herself in her impeachment proceedings, so she would have nothing to contribute to the process of presenting and cross-examining the witnesses.
Meanwhile, Duterte ally and Politiko Talks co-host Jimmy Bondoc said he also wanted the Vice President to attend the impeachment trial as he reiterated his belief in her innocence.
“Pag-humarap nga siya, feeling ko magkakalinawan na eh,” Bondoc said.
He said that in his view, her actions had not reached the threshold of an impeachable offense.
No rule requires Duterte herself to be present at her trial, though prosecutors have been calling on her to appear before the Impeachment Court.