HOUSE prosecution spokesperson and adviser former Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Wednesday said the defense failed to dent the testimony of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, saying the prosecution’s first witness remained consistent throughout his cross-examination before the Senate impeachment court.
Barbers said the conclusion of Calilung’s two-day testimony marked a positive start to the prosecution’s presentation of evidence against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte.
“Nakita po natin dito sa Day 3 ng impeachment trial na kung saan ay nagkaroon ng cross-examination, ay hindi po natibag o hindi nabutasan ang kanyang testimonya,” Barbers said during a press briefing after the day’s proceedings.
Barbers said Calilung stood by the statements he made during his direct examination despite repeated questioning by the defense.
“He (Calilung) was very consistent with all his statements from the beginning and even during the cross-examination. He was firm at tinayuan niya ‘yung kanyang mga binitawang pahayag o testimonya during the first day that he was presented as witness for the prosecution,” Barbers said.
Barbers expressed confidence that the prosecution would continue building its case as it presents additional witnesses and documentary evidence in the succeeding trial dates.
“‘Yan ay isang magandang development at aming nakita na sa susunod na mga araw mailalatag pa rin ang mga ebidensyang inihanda ng ating prosecution panel,” he said.
House prosecutor San Juan City Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora likewise said the prosecution found no need to conduct a redirect examination after Calilung answered all of the defense’s questions during cross-examination.
“We heard the questions propounded by the defense to John Mark Calilung, which we believe were sufficiently answered by John Mark Calilung. That’s why the prosecution decided… not to conduct any redirect examination anymore,” Zamora said.
She said the defense attempted to challenge Calilung’s credibility and qualifications by presenting several documents during cross-examination but failed to undermine his testimony.
“Natural naman na gagawin ng depensa na questionin ang credibility ng witness ng prosecution. Pero wala naman pong naipakita ang depensa na… matitibag ang statements na ginawa ni John Mark Calilung kahapon sa kanyang direct examination,” Zamora said.
Zamora also noted that Calilung answered clarificatory questions from several senator-judges regarding his qualifications, the investigation he conducted and the digital evidence presented before the impeachment court.
“Lahat naman po ng kanilang katanungan ay nasagot ni John Mark Calilung,” she said.
She added that Calilung concluded his testimony by maintaining that the threats he investigated were “absolute.”
Calilung spent two days on the witness stand presenting the prosecution’s evidence under the impeachment article accusing Duterte of making grave threats against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then- Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
The NBI Cybercrime Division senior agent identified the video and transcript of Duterte’s Nov. 23, 2024 online media briefing, screenshots extracted from the recording, official statements issued by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the National Security Council, the Presidential Communications Office and the Office of the Executive Secretary, and other digital evidence gathered during the investigation.
He also explained the digital forensic procedures employed by the NBI Cybercrime Division to identify, collect, preserve and verify electronic evidence before it was presented to the Senate impeachment court.
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