A defense witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte admitted that he had been part of the Sara Duterte Legal Team that assisted the vice president in cases previously filed against her.
Atty. Anel Martin Antero made the admission during a cross-examination conducted by prosecution counsel Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan on Thursday, Nov. 12, before the impeachment court.
During questioning, Ligutan asked whether Antero could be considered a loyal supporter and defender of Duterte given his background and relationship with the vice president.
In response, Antero acknowledged that he had served as a member of the vice president’s legal team in relation to various cases she had faced.
The witness also confirmed that he has been a longtime friend of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
As part of the cross-examination, the prosecution presented several of Antero’s social media posts that allegedly showed his support for Duterte on different occasions.
Through these posts, prosecutors sought to examine whether the witness’s personal relationship with the vice president could have influenced his role and testimony as part of the defense panel.
Antero became the fifth defense witness to appear before the impeachment court.
He was presented by the defense to clarify issues surrounding transactions allegedly linked to Carpio, including a restaurant bill amounting to more than ₱205,000 incurred in Tokyo, Japan, on May 19, 2023.
According to the defense, Antero accompanied Carpio during the trip and said Carpio’s credit card was used to settle the restaurant payment.
The witness explained that members of the group later divided the expense among themselves and reimbursed their respective shares of the bill.
The ongoing proceedings are currently focused on Article II of the impeachment complaint against Duterte, which centers on allegations of unexplained wealth and the alleged improper declaration of assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
The prosecution has argued that financial transactions and asset disclosures linked to the vice president should be scrutinized as part of its effort to establish the allegations contained in the impeachment complaint.
Meanwhile, the defense maintains that the questioned transactions have legitimate explanations and that the allegations against Duterte remain unsubstantiated.
The testimony of Antero forms part of the defense’s broader effort to challenge claims related to the vice president’s finances and asset reporting as the impeachment trial continues.