HEATED exchanges marked the 15th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment proceedings at the Senate Impeachment Court, as defense attorney Kristine Ferrer called for enhanced decorum and mutual respect among lawyers.
The friction erupted during the cross-examination of prosecution witness Xylene del Campo, a state auditor from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Tensions escalated when private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan interjected with remarks, stating she was “about to spank” and “about to lecture” her counterpart.
Addressing the court, Ferrer objected to the side comments and argued that Kapunan was improperly arguing for the witness and citing regulations during cross-examination.
“Responses such as those have no place in this courtroom because we are all lawyers here, we are all professionals,” Ferrer stated. While acknowledging Kapunan’s 48 years of legal experience compared to her own 15 years, Ferrer stressed that seniority should not preclude mutual courtesy.
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero intervened to quell the argument, attributing the clash to a “seeming generational divide” that the tribunal was seeking to avoid.
The court session centered on the testimony of del Campo, who reiterated that the Office of the Vice President’s 2023 confidential fund spending suffered from irregularities.
The state auditor maintained that while the intended operational purposes of confidential funds remain sensitive, supplier identities and purchase receipts for goods like food and supplies do not carry automatic confidentiality.
The Senate Impeachment Court announced it will issue a formal ruling on Monday addressing public statements and courtroom conduct from both defense and prosecution teams.