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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Nakakatawa': Defense asking 'no brainer' questions to impeachment witness, says Ridon

'Nakakatawa': Defense asking 'no brainer' questions to impeachment witness, says Ridon

Published Jul 14, 2026 06:46 pm

At A Glance

  • Rep. Terry Ridon criticizes Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team for asking "laughable" and "no-brainer" questions during the cross-examination of NBI Director Jeremy Lotoc.
  • He argues that attempts to link the OP to the NBI probe were weak, stressing that both agencies are under the executive department and that the defense was "grasping at straws".
  • Ridon emphasized that the NBI's findings on Duterte's death threats could be considered by the Senate impeachment court in convicting her for betrayal of public trust as an impeachable offense.
Lawyer Mark Vinluan (left), Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Senate PRIB, House PPAB)
Lawyer Mark Vinluan (left), Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon (Senate PRIB, House PPAB)


House prosecutor Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon chided Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team on Tuesday, July 14 for supposedly asking "laughable" questions during its cross-examination of impeachment trial witness, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.
"Nakakatawa ho yung mga tanungan. Sa totoo lang parang no-brainer yung mga tanong eh on cross-examination on several times," Ridon said in a press conference at the Senate.
(The questions were laughable. Honestly, the cross-examination at several points seemed like a no-brainer.)
The member of the defense panel who conducted cross examination on Lotoc Monday, July 13 was lawyer Mark Vinluan. Ridon didn't mention his name during the presser.
As the prosecution's second witness in the Senate impeachment trial, Lotoc described the respondent Duterte's death threat to President Marcos--uttered on Nov. 23, 2024--as "serious, actual, and real". This was based on Lotoc's investigation on the matter as the agency's former cybercrime division chief.
The other subjects of Duerte's alleged threats were First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
The party-list lawmaker criticized Vinluan's strategy of linking the Office of the President (OP) to the NBI probe--as if it was a bad thing. The NBI is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
"Una, mayroon hong pagtatanong ho doon sa control of the [OP] over the NBI and the DOJ. Parang talaga naman eh, hindi ho ba? Kasi it is in the executive department, hindi ho ba?" Ridon said, as if to indicate that it was common knowledge.
(First, there was questioning about the control of the OP over the NBI and the DOJ. That is obvious, isn’t it? Because they are under the executive department.)
"Pero gustong ipakita doon ay pinakikialaman ng [OP] yung trabaho ng DOJ, pinakikialaman po ng Office of the President yun pong trabaho po ng NBI."
(But what they wanted to show was that the [OP] was interfering with the work of the DOJ and the NBI.)
According to Ridon, this line of questioning tells him that the defense is "basically grasping at straws in conducting the cross[-examination]".
The solon-prosecutor also noted that the NBI may only investigate and recommend action to the executive--in this case the DOJ--based on its findings on the death threat allegations.
However, Ridon said the senator-judges may also appreciate the NBI findings toward conflicting thr Vice President.
"Pwede ho yang i-consider ng DOJ at nun pong mga korte pagka ho mayroon nang mga kaso. In this manner, na yung mga findings ng NBI na ito, pwedeng i-consider ng Senate impeachment court in convicting the Vice President on threats against the President and his family as betrayal of public trust, as an impeachable offense," he said.
(The DOJ and the courts may consider it once cases are filed. In this manner, the NBI findings may be considered by the Senate impeachment court in convicting the Vice President on threats against the President and his family as betrayal of public trust, as an impeachable offense.)

Related Tags

Terry Ridon Impeachment Sara Duterte defense impeachment trial Mark Vinluan President Marcos Office of the President NBI DoJ
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