Team DailyPedia
Former presidential legal counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo expressed admiration for Sen. Risa Hontiveros over her line of questioning during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the senator asked the kind of questions expected from a judge seeking the truth.
Speaking in an interview with ANC’s Karmina Constantino, Panelo—despite being a known Duterte ally and frequent critic of Hontiveros—said he agreed with the senator’s questions regarding the fourth Article of Impeachment, which centers on the Vice President’s alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“Binabanatan nila si Hontiveros. I disagree with her in so many things, pero tama ‘yung tanong niya!”
Panelo was referring to Hontiveros’ questioning of both prosecution counsel Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan and defense counsel Atty. Carlo Joaquin Narvasa during the proceedings.
According to Panelo, Hontiveros properly sought to clarify whether the alleged statements attributed to Duterte constituted an impeachable offense or merely improper conduct.
“Teka muna, hindi n’yo naman inaprubahan na may assassin, eh ano ba itong ginagawa n’yo? Is this an impeachable offense o ito’y maling asal ng Bise Presidente? Tama ‘yun! Dapat ganu’n ang mga tanong.”
He added that senator-judges should not hesitate to ask difficult questions if doing so helps uncover the truth.
“Kung ikaw kasi judge, talagang dapat lahat ng tanong, itanong mo na. Hindi puwedeng ilimita. Kasi precisely ang rules, ginagamit lang ‘yan para kunin mo ang katotohanan. Pero kung ‘yang rules mo, sisira mismo sa paghahanap mo ng katotohanan, eh palitan mo ‘yan.”
Panelo also revealed that he had shared his views with Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, whom he urged to ensure that the impeachment proceedings remain focused on truth-finding.
During the trial, Hontiveros asked Ligutan whether Duterte’s alleged threats could constitute an impeachable offense, to which the prosecutor answered in the affirmative.
The exchange prompted concerns from fellow senator-judge Pia Cayetano, who argued that the questioning appeared to invite what resembled a closing argument from the prosecution. Escudero likewise reminded senator-judges to exercise caution in framing their questions so as not to elicit legal conclusions from counsel.
Hontiveros later clarified that she had no intention of prompting the prosecution to deliver a closing statement and said she would not object if the contested portions of Ligutan’s answer were stricken from the record.
On the third day of the trial, Hontiveros also questioned defense lawyer Narvasa about whether Duterte’s alleged threats stemmed from the detention of her chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez. Narvasa replied that the remarks arose from what the defense described as a pattern of oppression by the House of Representatives.
