Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV remains on the prosecution’s witness list in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, but his eventual appearance on the stand will depend on how the evidence develops in the coming weeks.
House Prosecutor and Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon confirmed that Trillanes is listed as a common witness by both the prosecution and defense teams.
“Para malinaw, common witness ang alam ko si Senator Trillanes ng defense at prosecution,” Ridon said during a media briefing.
Ridon declined to provide a specific date for Trillanes to testify regarding the Vice President’s alleged unexplained wealth, explaining that prosecutors evaluate the necessity of each witness on an ongoing basis as trial proceedings unfold. He noted that the prosecution team could choose to dispense with additional testimonies if they determine that previously presented evidence is already sufficient to prove their case.
“So we are doing it on a day-to-day, week-to-week, witness-per-witness basis. Of course as we speak, nasa witness list pa rin si Senator Trillanes… And hopefully, maisalang din namin siya in the coming weeks,” Ridon added.
The update follows earlier announcements from Deputy Speaker and La Union Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega V, who indicated that the former senator was expected to take the stand. During the same briefing, Representative Joel Chua recalled that material provided by Trillanes had previously been checked against Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) records during a House Justice Committee hearing.
In that hearing, AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura confirmed that 18 selected entries from Trillanes’ affidavit matched corresponding dates and transaction amounts in AMLC reports, though the confirmation pertained strictly to those specific matching entries rather than every allegation in the affidavit.
The prosecution is currently preparing to present financial records involving Vice President Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio and their businesses after receiving copies of bank and tax documents through the impeachment court.
Ridon, who oversees the prosecution panel for Article II of the impeachment complaint, identified government records officers, bank representatives, and tax authorities among the primary witnesses expected to testify. These witnesses will formally identify documents relevant to the wealth allegations, including records gathered following the initial House committee proceedings.