Sara Duterte Defense Drops 16 Bank Witnesses From Trial
Defense counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte removed 16 bank officials from their witness list during her impeachment trial over alleged unexplained wealth.
The defense team for Sara Duterte dropped 16 bank officials from its witness list during her impeachment trial on November 12 and 13, 2026. Among those withdrawn was Paul Roderick Ysmael, a senior vice president at the Bank of the Philippine Islands, who was slated to authenticate a letter concerning accounts held by the vice president and her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Defense counsel Michael Poa argued that Ysmael was no longer necessary because he had already admitted to writing the letter. Prosecution counsel Benjamin Tolosa Jr. objected to the move, stating the prosecution intended to cross-examine Ysmael regarding records of Duterte's dollar accounts.
Presiding officer Francis Escudero denied a request from private prosecutor James Bryan Ibrahim Alih for further manifestations on subpoenaed documents, ruling that the prosecution had already rested its case. Prosecutors noted that the defense has not yet directly challenged the P817 million in alleged unexplained wealth identified by forensic expert Alexander Cabrera.
