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Who is Kristine Ferrer, among Sara Duterte’s lawyers in her trial?
PH🏛️ PoliticsCenteryesterday

Who is Kristine Ferrer, among Sara Duterte’s lawyers in her trial?

Kristine Ferrer, a lawyer and certified public accountant (CPA), is representing Vice President Sara Duterte during her impeachment trial at the Senate. As one of Duterte’s 16 defense attorneys, Ferrer is part of the FNS law firm, which also includes other lawyers defending Duterte. During the trial, Ferrer opposed the prosecution’s requests to use certain Commission on Audit (COA) documents and to take judicial notice of impeachment-related hearings. Her arguments focused on ensuring that all evidence, including transcripts and witness statements, must be verified through testimony. While the impeachment court partially accepted the prosecution’s motion, it emphasized that judicial notice does not override the defendant’s right to cross-examine witnesses. Ferrer, with 15 years of legal experience, faced off against veteran prosecutor Lorna Kapunan during the questioning of a COA witness.

MANILA, Philippines, Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon emphasized on Saturday that only the impeachment court can determine the number of votes required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte during her ongoing impeachment trial. Speaking during the Saturday News Forum, Ridon clarified that the threshold for conviction, currently set at 16 votes among the 24 senators, should not be decided by either the prosecution or defense, but solely by the senator-judges overseeing the case. The constitutional provision cited in Article XI, Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates that no individual can be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senate members. This translates to at least 16 votes out of the total 24 senators. However, Ridon stated that while the figure of 16 is based on the two-thirds rule, its application in practice remains flexible and must be determined by the senator-judges themselves. “Whatever that particular provisional means, it will be up for the senator-judges to decide,” he explained. This stance aligns with the position previously expressed by Senator Francis Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment court. Escudero reiterated on the first day of the trial that at least 16 votes are necessary to secure Duterte’s conviction. His remarks came as three senators remained absent due to legal issues: Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who is reportedly in hiding following an international arrest warrant, and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta, both of whom have been detained on plunder-related charges. Despite these absences, Ridon asserted that the non-appearance of certain senator-judges will not impede the trial’s progress, provided there is a quorum to ensure the proceedings continue smoothly. “It won’t have any impact on the proceedings as long as there is a quorum to conduct the trial,” he said. In addition to addressing the voting threshold, Ridon also commented on the potential for the prosecution to seek judicial intervention regarding the vote requirement. He suggested that such a matter might eventually reach the Supreme Court, but for now, the responsibility lies with the senator-judges. “It is their decision on the threshold which may be opportunity for any party to actually go to Supreme Court. So we leave it up to the senator-judges,” he concluded. Meanwhile, efforts to streamline the impeachment process have gained momentum. The House prosecution panel has shown openness to adjusting the trial’s schedule to accommodate longer sessions. According to reports, the prosecution has no objections to shifting the trial to the afternoon, allowing hearings to extend into the evening. This adjustment aims to accelerate the proceedings, which have already faced delays due to the unavailability of several senators. Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, representing the Senate majority bloc, further endorsed the proposal to reschedule the trial to run from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., effectively extending the daily session. Lacson indicated that most of his colleagues in the majority are willing to adopt this revised timetable, which would allow for more comprehensive examination of the evidence and testimony presented during the trial. As the impeachment trial moves forward, the interplay between procedural adjustments and constitutional interpretations continues to shape the trajectory of the proceedings. With key figures absent and the trial evolving in response to logistical challenges, the focus remains on ensuring that the outcome reflects the collective judgment of the Senate, guided by the constitutional framework governing impeachment trials.

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6 reports

Philippine Daily Inquirer logoPhilippine Daily InquirerIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 90yesterday
Ridon: Only impeachment court can decide Duterte trial vote threshold

Philippine politician Terry Ridon stated that only the impeachment court has the authority to determine the required number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte in her ongoing impeachment trial. He emphasized that the threshold of 16 votes, two-thirds of the 24 senator-judges, is not set in stone and must be decided by the judges themselves. This comes amid concerns over the absence of several senator-judges, including those who are either in hiding or facing legal issues. Senator Francis Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, previously affirmed that 16 votes would still be necessary for a conviction but reiterated that the final decision on the threshold lies with the senator-judges. The issue raises questions about the procedural flexibility of the impeachment process.

Bias read (Center): The article presents statements from both Terry Ridon and Senator Francis Escudero, offering perspectives from different sides of the impeachment debate without overtly favoring one over the other. There is no clear ideological framing, loaded language, or one-sided sourcing. The content remains a陈述

Why factuality (95): The article accurately reports Rep. Terry Ridon's statements regarding the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing specific constitutional provisions and aligning with the cross-source consensus that the threshold for conviction is determined by the senator-judges. The content is we

Why objectivity (90): The article presents the information in a neutral manner, quoting Ridon directly and providing context from the Constitution. While there is a slight emphasis on Ridon's perspective, it remains balanced and avoids overt bias or emotional language.

Rappler logoRapplerIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 8011 days ago
Who is Kristine Ferrer, among Sara Duterte’s lawyers in her trial?

Kristine Ferrer, a lawyer and certified public accountant (CPA), is representing Vice President Sara Duterte during her impeachment trial at the Senate. As one of Duterte’s 16 defense attorneys, Ferrer is part of the FNS law firm, which also includes other lawyers defending Duterte. During the trial, Ferrer opposed the prosecution’s requests to use certain Commission on Audit (COA) documents and to take judicial notice of impeachment-related hearings. Her arguments focused on ensuring that all evidence, including transcripts and witness statements, must be verified through testimony. While the impeachment court partially accepted the prosecution’s motion, it emphasized that judicial notice does not override the defendant’s right to cross-examine witnesses. Ferrer, with 15 years of legal experience, faced off against veteran prosecutor Lorna Kapunan during the questioning of a COA witness.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced account of the legal proceedings involving Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. It describes both the defense and prosecution arguments without overtly favoring either side. The focus is on the procedural aspects of the trial rather than taking a partisan,

Why factuality (85): The article accurately describes Kristine Ferrer’s role as one of Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense counsels. It provides relevant details about her background as a CPA and lawyer, aligning with the information in the primary source document. The facts presented are supported by the source mater

Why objectivity (80): The article presents information in a neutral manner, focusing on Ferrer’s professional role without expressing personal opinions or taking sides. The tone remains objective throughout.

Philippine Daily Inquirer logoPhilippine Daily InquirerIndependentCenterFactual 65Objective 806 days ago
Virtual hearings not in Sara Duterte impeachment rules — Tongol

The Philippine Senate impeachment court's spokesperson, Reginald Tongol, clarified that there are no established rules allowing for virtual hearings during the impeachment process. This clarification came in response to concerns raised after the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte was interrupted by the government's decision to suspend operations in Metro Manila due to adverse weather conditions. The statement emphasizes that the court does not currently have protocols in place for conducting hearings remotely, highlighting the procedural constraints faced by the impeachment process.

Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual statement regarding the absence of virtual hearing rules in the impeachment process without overtly favoring any political side. It focuses on procedural clarity rather than taking a stance on the merits of the impeachment case itself.

Why factuality (65): The article reports that the Senate impeachment court has no rule on virtual hearings, as stated by spokesperson Reginald Tongol. It mentions the postponement of the trial due to weather but does not provide full context about previous postponements or the broader implications of the delay. Factuall

Why objectivity (80): The tone remains neutral, reporting facts without emotional language or bias. The focus is on the procedural aspect of the impeachment process without taking sides or expressing personal opinion.

Philippine Daily Inquirer logoPhilippine Daily InquirerIndependentCenterFactual 50Objective 80yesterday
Prosecution backs 3 p.m. hearings, extra day to speed up impeach trial

The House prosecution panel in the Philippines has expressed no objection to the Senate's proposal to shift Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial to the afternoon sessions, aiming to expedite the process. Representative Terry Ridon from the Bicol Saro Party-list stated that the prosecution supports extending hearings from Monday to Wednesday into the evening and could even back adding an extra day to the proceedings. This development reflects ongoing efforts to accelerate the impeachment trial, which has been a contentious political issue. The proposed change highlights the urgency with which both chambers are approaching the trial.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the stance of the House prosecution panel without overtly favoring either side. It reports on the procedural adjustment being considered by the Senate and the response from the House panel, without taking a clear ideological position. While the impeachment trial itself is a high

Why factuality (50): The article discusses the Senate's plan to move Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to the afternoon and the prosecution's stance on this change. However, this is unrelated to the primary source document about Kristine Ferrer. As such, there is no alignment with the source material, maki

Why objectivity (80): The article presents the position of the prosecution panel in a neutral manner, reporting their stance without apparent bias or emotional language. It focuses on procedural changes rather than taking sides in the political matter.

Philippine Daily Inquirer logoPhilippine Daily InquirerIndependentProgressiveFactual 50Objective 6010 days ago
Luistro: Rule 18 prohibition applies to us, Duterte, and senator-judges

Public prosecutor Gerville Luistro stated that Rule 18 of the Senate’s impeachment rules applies to all parties involved, including Vice President Sara Duterte and senator-judges. The statement was made during an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, where Luistro emphasized the scope of the rule, which typically governs the conduct of prosecutors and defense lawyers. The discussion appears to relate to ongoing impeachment proceedings involving high-profile figures, though the article does not specify the exact case or provide further details beyond Luistro's remarks.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the application of Rule 18 in a manner that suggests broader accountability for political figures, particularly those in positions of power such as the Vice President and senator-judges. This framing implies a critique of potential impropriety or overreach by these individuals, a傾

Why factuality (50): The article discusses Rule 18 of the Senate’s Rules of Impeachment and mentions Gerville Luistro’s statement regarding its application. However, there is no connection to the primary source document about Kristine Ferrer. Therefore, the article is not related to the content of the primary source and

Why objectivity (60): The tone is neutral, reporting on a political issue without apparent bias. However, the article focuses on a different topic than the primary source document, so objectivity assessment is limited.

Philippine Daily Inquirer logoPhilippine Daily InquirerIndependentCenteryesterday
Senate majority favors new sked for impeach trial: 2:30-7:30 p.m.

The article reports that Senator Panfilo 'Ping' Lacson indicated that most of the senators in the majority bloc are open to shifting the schedule of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte from mornings to afternoons, potentially extending into the early evening. The proposed change aims to accommodate more time for proceedings, though the article does not specify further details or outcomes.

Bias read (Center): The article presents information about a potential shift in the scheduling of an impeachment trial, focusing on the stance of the majority bloc. It does not take a clear ideological position or frame the issue in a particularly left or right-leaning manner. The tone remains neutral, reporting on the

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