FACT CHECK: Ortonio’s ‘earpiece’ in VP trial photos is actually a piercing

Terry Ridon, a house prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list representative, denied claims by Vice President Sara Duterte that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. influences the Senate and judicial bodies. Ridon asserted that senator-judges will base their decisions solely on evidence, rejecting Duterte’s assertion that Marcos controls the Senate, courts, police, and fiscal matters. The remarks came after Duterte released a statement challenging the independence of the judiciary and executive branches. Duterte is currently undergoing an impeachment trial over allegations of misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and grave threats. She was recently ordered arrested by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court for three counts of grave threats linked to statements she made during a November 2024 virtual press conference targeting Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos, and then-House Speaker Martin Romualdez. She has since posted bail of P120,000 per count. The prosecution panel in Duterte’s impeachment trial withdrew former Department of Education special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda as a witness due to his recovery from a stroke. Fajarda was set to testify regarding Article I, which alleges misuse of confidential funds within the Department of Education when Duterte served as its head. His medical condition led to postponements, and his legal counsel requested additional time for recovery. The prosecution opted to recall his subpoena and instead pursued stipulations, with the defense agreeing that Duterte’s security officer, Col. Dennis Nolasco, received P112.5 million in confidential funds from Fajarda at her direction. The prosecution moved to present the unexplained wealth case against Duterte earlier than planned, following the completion of the case on alleged misuse of confidential funds. Lead prosecutor Jinky Luistro stated that the unexplained wealth article would be addressed after the misuse of funds case, which is expected to conclude by September 9. The House hearings highlighted discrepancies between Duterte’s significant bank transactions and her net worth declarations. According to the Anti-Money Laundering Council, transactions linked to Duterte and her husband, Mans Carpio, totaled P6.77 billion from 2006 to 2025. Despite this, Duterte’s net worth averaged P42 million over 15 years, peaking at P88 million in 2024. She made no cash or cash deposit declarations from 2019 to 2024, and modest declarations during her tenure in elective office from 2007 to 2018. The prosecution listed 15 potential witnesses for the unexplained wealth case, including Ombudsman Boying Remulla, Securities and Exchange Commission director Gerardo del Rosario, AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, financial and forensic analysts, bank representatives, and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV. The bribery case will remain active, with the prosecution aiming to conclude the trial with that article. Senator-judge Francis Escudero clarified that the impeachment court may summon witnesses if deemed necessary, despite the prosecution’s decision not to call certain individuals. He emphasized that the court may still recall witnesses if required, but only after both the prosecution and defense have presented their evidence. Any witness called by the court would answer only to the senator-judges, not to the parties. During the trial, the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that 1,685 names on confidential fund receipts lacked birth, marriage, or death records. These included names of children and deceased individuals. The prosecution opposed the defense’s argument that some names were aliases, stating it was too late to admit such claims. The defense claimed the names were aliases, citing incomplete records. The prosecution confirmed that “Mary Grace Piattos,” previously flagged in investigations, does not exist in official records. Defense counsel Justin Gular argued that not all births, marriages, and deaths are recorded, and that the PSA lacks a repository of aliases used in confidential operations. Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo noted that using aliases is standard practice in government agencies but raised concerns about the possibility of a single individual signing multiple receipts due to similar handwriting. Prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan likened the situation to a chess game, with Duterte as the queen. She argued that the evidence points to Duterte as the central figure, with other witnesses acting as supporting pieces. The prosecution decided not to call additional witnesses for Article I and instead reserved the right to summon Duterte herself at the end of the trial. She will be called to testify on all four articles of impeachment, including grave threats, misuse of funds, unexplained wealth, and bribery. Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo raised concerns about the impeachment court’s voting threshold, noting the absence of several members due to illness or detention. The Constitution requires 16 votes, or two-thirds of the 24 senators, to convict an impeached official. Currently, Senator Loren Legarda is on sick leave, while Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is in hiding. Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada are detained over plunder cases. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero announced a revised schedule for the remainder of the trial, outlining proceedings for September and October. The prosecution has completed its evidence and witness presentations for Article IV, which deals with Duterte’s alleged betrayal of public trust through threats against Marcos and his family. The prosecution aims to finalize the presentation of evidence for Article I by September 9.