TRIAL practitioners usually make a listing of witnesses, from the witness with the most potential to the witness with the least potential.
To make a good impact on the judge, usually the witness with the most potential is presented first – para dunay big bang, para makita dayon nga hinog kaayo ang kaso for conviction or acquittal, as in, first impression lasts.
So in the case of murder, usually the educated witness is presented first because usually, he testifies on facts, not conjectures or figments of imagination. And this usually includes the eyewitness, the one who saw and could identify the accused, and the one who could connect the accused to the body of the crime.
The witness of the least potential may not even be presented, depending on the progress of the trial or upon the educated assessment of the trial lawyer. Imbes makatabang sa kaso, maka-damage na hinuon so di na lang i-present.
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Now, in the case of the impeachment trial of VP Sara, the whole wide world was expecting the prosecution witness to be just that – the witness with the most potential.
More so because the prosecution panel headed by the personality labelled as “Lawaystro” (owing to the white laway frothing on the side of her mouth while she delivered her homily) publicly and proudly said the prosecution was ready and prepared.
But lo and behold, the first witness turned pffft instead of a big bang. Mihungaw man imbes moboto og kusog.
NBI Special Agent Mark Calilung was presented as an “expert witness” but turned out that he was neither.
Supposedly a digital forensics expert, Calilung was called to authenticate the video evidence of Sara’s November 2024 virtual presscon regarding alleged threats made against BBM.
But on cross-examination, Calilung admitted that he had no direct, personal knowledge of a hired hitman, or the threats themselves, as his involvement was strictly limited to technical authentication of the media files.
It turned out that he was only trained for 2 weeks by equipment supplier MaxCor Inter-Ventures Co., not a digital forensics training firm in fact, advertises itself as a “one-stop source of different products and services intended for both government and private institutions.
Two-week training lang unya nahimo na dayon nga “digital forensics expert?”
Pagka-demalasa.
Yes, imbes dakong buto, igo man lang mihungaw, ang 1st witness sa prosecution.
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That miserable scenario perhaps speaks volumes of the quality of witnesses and extent of preparation of the prosecution team.
Kon mao toy ilang pinaka-bug-at nga testigo, klaro kaayo nga bulabog to nga klase sa testigo.
That, plus the fact that the prosecution team had to hire private prosecutors to do the job for them.
Kon prepared pa unta sila, migawas man nga dili, in fact, gihimong kataw-anan ang ilang abogado kay migawas ang duha ka grupong sip-on panahon sa trial.
Susko, dunay lawaystro, duna pa gyod sip-onon, grabeha pod oi.
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And finally, it turned out that the first witness is facing so many criminal cases. These cases include arbitrary detention, delaying the release of a detained person, maliciously obtained search warrants, searching a domicile without witnesses, falsification, perjury, robbery/extortion and theft.
Given this fact, kinsay ganahan motuo sa isulti usa ka tawo nga gaatubang og daghan kaayo ug klase-klaseng kaso?
Bulilyaso na sab.
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Now, let’s go to the sad plight of the priest.
As I’ve said in the last episode, this priests – we’ll just call him Fr. Enrique – is very popular, he speaks and discusses very well, very smart and his talks are always well-listened, well-attended and well-applauded too.
Those who invited him, thoroughly grateful for his shared wisdom, didn’t fail to reward him with substantial monetary and in-kind considerations. His connections spanned not only nationally but also internationally.
To cut the story short, daghang mga Pari gibati na og kasina ni Fr. Enrique, apil gani kuno ang Obispo.
Why?
Because he was so popular and he had plenty of money.
Due to the growing enmity and intense pressure from within and from without, Fr. Enrique opted to ask for dispensation from celebrating the mass – para wa nay gubot ug aron maundang na ang mga intriga sa mga nasina nga mga kaparian.
It appeared that the Obispo, instead of mediating and finding a fair and reasonable compromise, decided that it was better to sacrifice him than resolving the climate of kasina and pagdumot.
And worse, instead of releasing him from the diocese so his special priestly talents and skills can be utilized elsewhere, the Obispo refused so Fr. Enrique is like being placed “in the navy” or more popularly known as “under floating status.”
Paita.
