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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Duterte lawyer Poa headlines prosecution's witnesses next week

VP Duterte lawyer Poa headlines prosecution's witnesses next week

Published Aug 26, 2026 06:27 pm

At A Glance

  • The House prosecution panel scheduled Boransing and Panopio for Sept. 1 and Michael Wesley Poa with Marizza Grande for Sept. 2, dropping retired Maj. Gen. Bajao after the AFP failed to serve his subpoena.
  • Poa, a former DepEd aide now part of Duterte's defense team, was present in court and may testify immediately if the military officers fail to appear, making him a pivotal figure in the proceedings.
  • The impeachment court also granted subpoenas to banks and financial institutions covering Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and 20 related entities, restricted to peso‑denominated accounts.
Michael Poa (Senate PRIB)
Michael Poa (Senate PRIB)


The House prosecution panel is preparing its next wave of witnesses in Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial for the upcoming Sept. 1 and 2 hearing dates, which will be headlined by her own defense lawyer.
Lead prosecutor Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville "Jinky Bitrics" Luistro identified Col. Manaros Boransing II and Col. Magtangol Panopio as witnesses for the panel on Sept. 1.
They will be followed by former Department of Education (DepEd) undersecretary and chief-of-staff Michael Wesley Poa and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande on Sept. 2.
Poa is currently part of Duterte’s defense team. He was present Wednesday, Aug. 26 at the Senate impeachment court when Luistro made her manifestations.
Poa was a very visible aide of the respondent during her time as DepEd secretary.
Meanwhile, the prosecutors dropped retired Maj. Gen. Adonis Bajao from its line-up of witnesses.
“We maintain the position to present both Colonel Boransing and Colonel Panopio to whom the subpoenas were… have been ordered to be issued for Sept 1, 2026, your honor,” Luistro told presiding officer Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero.
Boransing was scheduled to appear Wednesday, but sought a Sept. 1 reset after he informed the court that he needed to coordinate with his military superiors before leaving his post as commanding officer of Task Force Zamboanga. Escudero granted the request.
Panopio had already been subpoenaed for Sept. 1 under the earlier assumption that Boransing would testify this week. This resulted in both military officers now being lined up for the same hearing.
The two officers are among the military officials whose certifications figure in allegations involving DepEd confidential funds during Duterte’s tenure there.
The impeachment complaint cited military youth leadership activities that the prosecutors maintained were used in accounting for portions of the secret funds.
The prosecution abandoned plans to call Bajao after Escudero disclosed that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) could not serve the subpoena because the retired general was no longer at the address provided to the court.
Poa may skip the line
Luistro then asked the court to summon Poa and Grande for Sept. 2, which could potentially give prosecutors four witnesses over the two-day stretch.
“In addition to that, your honor, and in order to maximize the schedule that is given to us by the honorable impeachment court, for Sept. 2, that is next Wednesday, your honor, we would like to respectfully move for the issuance of subpoena ad testificandum to Attorney Michael Wesley T. Poa if the same should be necessary, as well as to Miss Marizza B. Grande, of the Philippine Statistics Authority, your honor,” Luistro manifested.
Escudero also cleared prosecutors to immediately shift to Poa, who was already present in court and had indicated his willingness to testify, if either of the two military witnesses fails to appear on Sept. 1.
“Given that Attorney Poa is here and more than willing to testify as intimated earlier, then we jump to Attorney Poa should the other earlier two witnesses fail to appear on Sept. 1 without need of issuing a subpoena to Attorney Poa,” Escudero stated.
Subpoenas to banks
In a separate but potentially consequential development for the prosecution’s case, the impeachment court also granted a supplemental request for subpoenas to additional banks and financial institutions covering Duterte, her husband lawyer Manases Carpio, and 20 entities in which the spouses hold interests.
Escudero said the court would apply the same restrictions imposed in its July 20 ruling allowing prosecutors access to specified financial records, including the exclusion of foreign currency deposits and the limitation of the subpoenas to peso-denominated accounts.
“The request for subpoena directed to the concerned banking institutions, I won't specify anymore because both parties have a copy, and financial institutions, covering the respondent, her spouse, Attorney Manases Carpio, as well as 20 entities allowed by this court, in which the spouses hold an interest, is hereby granted,” Escudero ruled.
Wednesday was day 19 of the Senate impeachment trial. 

Related Tags

Michael Poa defense lawyers impeachment Sara Duterte Gerville \"Jinky Bitrics\" Luistro witness
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