The impression of former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV that he is ‘not welcome’ in the impeachment court is a ‘baseless assumption,’ Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol said on Friday.
Trillanes, in a press conference, said that it is ‘clear’ that he is ‘not welcome’ at the Senate impeachment court after he was not issued a subpoena to testify on Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth.
‘Our impeachment court and senator-judges did not have that kind of impression on former Sen. Trillanes…,’ Tongol clarified.
‘The impeachment court did not show him anything like that. So, I think that would be a baseless assumption,’ he said.
Earlier in the week, presiding officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero turned down the House prosecution’s request to issue a subpoena to Trillanes to appear the day after.
House Prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon did not list Trillanes as one of their witnesses for the week, so the court did not issue a subpoena for him yet.
Two days later, the prosecution withdrew its presentation of Trillanes.
In a post, the former lawmaker explained that he asked not to testify anymore as the House panel is supposedly facing ‘pressure.’
When Tongol had initially dismissed this accusation, Trillanes simply asked why he wasn’t issued a subpoena.
To answer this, Tongol explained that no subpoena was issued to Trillanes because the House prosecution panel did not declare him as a witness for that week.
‘The prosecution] requested it last week. But on Monday, the issuance of the subpoena [for Trillanes] was ready,’ Tongol recalled.
‘The presiding officer asked Cong. Ridon who they planned to present for this week. The name of former Sen. Trillanes was not mentioned,’ he pointed out.
Tongol believes, ‘It’s not the court’s fault.’
‘If they really wanted to sit, they should have announced former Sen. Trillanes’ name on Monday,’ he said, referring to the prosecution.