The House prosecution panel is throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at respondent Vice President Sara Duterte as far as its list of witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial is concerned.

This, after lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro bared that the panel tapped 57 witnesses--over twice the number that she initially stated.

“As to the number of witnesses, the final number is 57,” Luistro said in an interview with DZBB radio on Tuesday, June 16.

The prosecution had earlier indicated it was preparing around 25 witnesses in the quest to convict the twice-impeached Duterte.

Luistro said the list grew after prosecutors opted to include every witness and piece of evidence that could potentially be presented during trial, scheduled to begin on July 6.

"Ibig sabihin, nagsigurado na kami (This means, we want to leave no stone unturned)," the lawyer-solon said.

Luistro said the prosecution panel used as basis the four articles of impeachment in the pre-trial brief it submitted on Monday, June 15. The brief included the finalized list of witnesses, among others.

However, the lead prosecutor kept a very tight lid on the key details of the 57-page brief.

"So we included every piece of evidence na alam namin may relevance whatsoever dito sa impeachment, articles of impeachment," she said.

(So we included every piece of evidence that we knew had any relevance whatsoever to the impeachment, the articles of impeachment.)

She clarified that impeachment rules prohibit the presentation of witnesses and exhibits that were not identified and marked during pre-trial proceedings.

"Hindi pwede. Bawal ang surprise witnesses. That is why lahat ng ebidensya dapat mamarkahan during pre-trial," Luistro said.

(It’s not allowed. Surprise witnesses are prohibited. That is why all evidence must be marked during pre-trial.)

"Otherwise, kung hindi mo ‘yan namarkahan, hindi mo nasamang pangalan, wala kang reservation, they will not be allowed to be presented during the trial."

(Otherwise, if you did not mark it, did not include the name, and made no reservation, they will not be allowed to be presented during the trial.)

Despite listing 57 witnesses, Luistro said the prosecution has yet to decide how many will actually take the stand once trial begins. "The discretion is with us," she said.

Vice President Duterte's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Luistro added that any evidence the prosecution intends to present during trial should already be reflected in the pre-trial brief. She noted that details contained in the brief will eventually become public as part of the impeachment proceedings.

Speaking of the witnesses, Luistro said officials the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) may be called in as hostile witnesses in the impeachment trial.

A hostile witness is a person called to testify who turns openly uncooperative, antagonistic, or gives testimony harmful to the side that summoned them. Once declared hostile by the judge, the attorney may use leading questions as if in a cross‑examination.

“I think most of them you’ve seen already in the inquiry in aid of legislation by the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability then presided by Chair Joel Chua back in the 19th Congress,” said the Batangueña.

The OVP and DepEd are central to the impeachment allegations involving confidential funds, with Duterte having served concurrently as Vice President and education secretary during the period covered by several congressional inquiries.

Luistro also says the prosecution expects strong opposition from Duterte’s camp when evidence is presented under the article involving unexplained wealth.

“Without specifically mentioning the witnesses and the exhibits to be presented, but we anticipate that to happen in the article for unexplained wealth. Kasi naramdaman na namin ‘yan (Because we already felt that) during the justice committee proceeding,” she added.

Asked whether the defense would oppose efforts to subpoena bank records and bank officials, Luistro said the prosecution already expects such resistance.

She pointed to past legal actions taken by Duterte’s camp in earlier proceedings as basis for the prosecution’s expectation.