Escudero cautions senator-judges against intimidating witnesses

Detailed summary

MANILA – Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero on Thursday reminded senator-judges and lawyers to exercise restraint in questioning wit...

WITNESS PROTECTION. Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero reminds senator-judges and lawyers to exercise restraint and respect the rights of witnesses during Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial on Thursday (Nov. 12, 2026). Escudero stressed that unsatisfactory answers do not automatically constitute contempt and that witnesses must be protected from improper, insulting, or intimidating questions. (Screengrab from Senate livestream)

MANILA – Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero on Thursday reminded senator-judges and lawyers to exercise restraint in questioning witnesses, stressing that unsatisfactory answers do not automatically constitute contempt.

Before the continuation of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, Escudero emphasized that witnesses retain their legal rights despite being under oath to testify truthfully before the court.

"An answer which may be unsatisfactory is not inherently contemptible," Escudero said, citing Supreme Court rulings cautioning courts against the excessive use of contempt powers.

He invoked Section 3, Rule 132 of the Rules on Evidence, which protects witnesses from irrelevant, improper, or insulting questions, harsh treatment, and inquiries unrelated to the issues being tried.

The provision also protects witnesses against compelled answers that could expose them to criminal penalties or unnecessarily damage their reputation, subject to exceptions provided by law.

Escudero acknowledged that repeated responses, such as "I do not know" or "I do not recall," could frustrate senator-judges but maintained that such answers should be assessed based on their evidentiary value.

"We must refrain from resorting to a manner of questioning or to making declarations that elicit fear rather than candor," he said.

The presiding officer also reminded his colleagues that impeachment proceedings differ from legislative inquiries, requiring impartiality, patience, and respect for witnesses…

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