House prosecutors said the inclusion of former Davao City court sheriff Abe Andres in their witness list is intended to support evidence on an alleged behavioral pattern in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
House trial spokesperson Zia Alonto Adiong and private prosecution legal spokesperson Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the prosecution may present testimony to show conduct relevant to the allegations, including an alleged tendency to resort to violence.
Public reports have identified Andres as the court sheriff punched by then Davao City Mayor Duterte during a 2011 demolition incident. He has been included among the witnesses for the Vice President’s impeachment trial.
Tolosa declined to disclose the prosecution’s full trial strategy but said the rules allow the presentation of evidence that may establish a pattern of behavior or tendency.
“Under the rules, it is allowed to present evidence to establish a behavioral pattern, to establish the propensity of a person to resort to violence, for example,” Tolosa told reporters in a virtual press conference.
He said the prosecution could not yet discuss the specific reasons for calling Andres as a witness.
For his part, Adiong said prosecutors are looking at both the words and actions of the Vice President in assessing her conduct.
He said the alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez should be viewed alongside other incidents that may reflect how Duterte responds when her authority is challenged.
“When she’s angry, she gets too volatile,” Adiong said.
He cited the sheriff incident as one example the prosecution may use to raise broader questions on accountability and alleged impunity.
“No one should be above the law. No one should have the right to take justice into their own hands,” he said.
He added that acts by public officials that undermine the standards of public office may amount to a betrayal of public trust.