黑料社

Prosecution not afraid of Tiangco鈥檚 testimony

MANILA, Philippines- The prosecution said Monday that they were not afraid of Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco鈥檚 testimony in the first day of the defense panel鈥檚 presentation of evidence and that they were not stopping him from appearing.

Prosecution spokesman and Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara told reporters that 鈥淸Tiangco] has the right to voluntarily testify, nobody is stopping him.鈥

Another prosecution spokesman, Quezon representative Lorenzo Tanada, told reporters in a separate interview that they were not afraid of what Tiangco might say because 鈥渢here鈥檚 nothing new that is being raised.鈥

Tanada believes that the defense panel wants Tiangco to testify 鈥渢hat the articles of impeachment were railroaded, that some people did not read the articles of impeachment.鈥

Angara said he was not afraid of Tiangco鈥檚 testimony because 鈥渉e will only testify to his personal experience which is different from the experience of the 188 congressmen who signed [the complaint].鈥

House Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales had earlier told reporters that the issue Tiangco wants to testify on was already 鈥渕oot and academic鈥 because the Senate has already started the impeachment proceedings.

Gonzales denied Tiangco鈥檚 claims that he was being threatened with expulsion from the House of Representatives.

Tiangco was merely being reminded that 鈥渉e should be careful not to demean the other members of the House,鈥 because that would warrant sanctions, Tanada said.

The sanctions could be censure, suspension, or expulsion, Gonzales said.

鈥淚f he doesn鈥檛 disparage the reputation of members of the House then I don鈥檛 think he will face any sanction. But if he disparages the reputation of members of the House that is clear under our rules,鈥 Tanada said.

Angara said 鈥渨e respect his decision to not sign the impeachment complaint and to testify in the impeachment proceedings. But he should also respect the decision of the majority of the congressmen who signed the complaint.鈥

鈥淚 think this is a delaying tactic by the defense, after [Tiangco] today, I don鈥檛 think they have any other witness,鈥 Tanada said.

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