Malacañang says the Senate will determine whether Vice President Sara Duterte can be compelled to testify in her own impeachment trial. Palace officials say that any request by the House prosecution panel for a subpoena is not automatically granted and remains subject to Senate approval.
The statement comes after the prosecution panel says it intends to call Duterte as a witness, including to affirm her claims of innocence. GMA News Online and Inquirer.net both report that the Palace points to the senator-judges’ authority over the matter. In this view, the Senate will decide whether to issue the subpoena if it is sought.
Both outlets present the same basic position from Malacañang: the executive branch will not make the call itself. The key differing emphasis is mainly in wording and framing, with reports centering on the Senate’s discretion and the prosecution’s stated intention to bring Duterte to the witness stand.
