A former lawmaker seeking to take part as a witness in an impeachment complaint against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would first have to physically present himself in the Philippines, according to the chair of the House Committee on Justice.
Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro made the clarification during a news forum on Saturday, January 24, as questions surfaced over whether former Ako-Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co could testify while staying abroad.
“I am not very much certain but I dont recall any existing rule that prohibits really a fugitive from testifying in other cases,” Luistro said, when asked about Co’s possible participation.
She added that the practical concern lies in Co’s legal status. “Ang magiging issue na nga lang dyan (The only issue there is), because he is a fugitive and he is facing the possibility of being arrested, will he be willing to compromise that possibility of being arrested to he able to appear before any investigative body,” the lawyer-lawmaker said.
Co has remained outside the country since being linked to alleged irregularities involving budget insertions and flood control projects, controversies that placed him under investigation by authorities.
Earlier, former Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor disclosed that Co had expressed readiness to testify remotely, including through teleconferencing platforms such as Zoom, in relation to an additional impeachment complaint being pursued by administration critics.
Luistro, however, said the House justice panel operates under rules that require witnesses to personally swear to their affidavits, which are then subjected to scrutiny during hearings. She stressed that existing committee rules do not allow online testimony, nor do they recognize the execution of sworn affidavits at Philippine embassies or consulates overseas.
The House Committee on Justice is tasked with determining whether any impeachment complaint referred to it meets the constitutional standards of sufficiency in both form and substance.
Co previously released a Facebook video in November accusing President Marcos of directing P100 billion worth of project insertions in the proposed P6.326-trillion national budget for 2025.
Separately, Co is facing a warrant of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan for alleged malversation and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act over purportedly substandard projects in Oriental Mindoro.
