MANILA – Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo on Thursday suggested that former senator Antonio Trillanes IV be presented as a witness before the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Tulfo said Trillanes should take the witness stand first because his expected testimony involves bank accounts he had gathered information on years ago.
“Kung kukuning witness si former senator Trillanes, much better kung mauna muna siya bago ang AMLC. Kasi ang mga sasabihin ni Mr. Trillanes ay may kinalaman sa mga bank accounts na kanyang nakalap long time ago,” Tulfo said.
(If former senator Trillanes will be called as a witness, it would be much better if he goes first before the AMLC. What Mr. Trillanes will say has something to do with the bank accounts he gathered information on a long time ago.)
Tulfo made the suggestion as the impeachment court discussed the presentation and sequencing of witnesses in connection with the financial allegations against Duterte.
Trillanes has been eyed as a possible prosecution witness over information he previously gathered concerning bank accounts allegedly linked to Duterte and other individuals.
The AMLC, meanwhile, is expected to testify on financial records relevant to the impeachment proceedings.
Any allegations involving the accounts remain subject to evidence formally presented before the impeachment court and to examination by the defense.
