PROFILE: Who is the defense’s first witness in the impeachment trial?

MANILA — A month after the impeachment trial of the Vice President went on break, the defense presented on Monday its first witness: the city assessor of Davao City, Engineer Jaime Adalin. 

Adalin is a civil engineer and a real estate appraiser, currently residing in Cabantian, Davao City. As city assessor of nine years now, Adalin said he is tasked for real property assessments as well as issuing and handling the necessary documents and certifications. 

He was appointed as city assessor in 2017 by Vice President Sara Duterte when she was still Davao City mayor. 

The defense said Adalin’s testimony primarily aims to debunk the prosecution’s earlier argument that the Vice President failed to disclose a property in Davao City in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth. 

Atty. Lindon Bacquel, counsel for the respondent, earlier said they were presenting Adalin to prove that the property covered in a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) was the same property disclosed in Duterte’s SALN. 

Adalin’s presentation came after the defense’s earlier supposed witnesses were unable to attend the Monday’s session. 

Former law school dean Ralph Sarmiento earlier declined the invitation of Duterte’s defense team to testify as its first witness in her impeachment trial, citing his need to remain independent as a constitutional law professor and legal analyst.

The other supposed first witness, Atty. Suzette Balucanag-Punay, the corporate counsel of GenCorp Industries Inc. and Metro City Chow Foods Corporation, will be presented on Tuesday instead as she needed to undergo an MRI examination on Monday.