Romer Butuyan 
HINDI matutuloy ang pagharap ni former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV bilang testigo ng prosekusyon sa paglilitis ng Senate impeachment court sa mga kasong kinakaharap ni Vice President Duterte.
Sa isang manifestation, pormal na ipinagbigay-alam ni House lead prosecutor at Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro sa impeachment court ang pasya ng lupon ng tagausig.
“We decided not to present former senator Sonny Trillanes. We seek the kind indulgence of the Honorable Impeachment Court for the belated final position on this particular concern,” wika ni Luistro, kasabay ng giit na prerogatiba ng prosekusyon na huwag nang iprisinta ang dating senador.
Samantala, nilinaw ni Trillanes siya mismo ang nakiusap sa prosekusyon na huwag nang ituloy ang kanyang pagharap bilang testigo sa impeachment trial.
“Earlier in the day, I requested the House prosecution under Chair Jinky Luistro to formally withdraw my name as a witness for the prosecution. This way, the prosecution panel would be relieved from the pressure it is going through,” wika ni Trillanes sa isang pahayag na inilabas sa social media.
Gayunpaman, tiniyak ng dating senador na anuman ang nakatakda sana niyang ihayag sa paglilitis, ilalahad pa rin niya sa isang pulong-balitaan.
“Having said that, I will hold a press conference tomorrow to present all the matters that I would have presented and released during the impeachment trial,” ani Trillanes.
Bago pa man nagpasyang umatras si Trillanes, ibinida ni Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong na tumatayong tagapagsalita ng prosekusyon, na hawak ng dating senador ang talaan ng mga indibidwal na nagpasok ng pera sa account ng bise-presidente.
“Senator Trillanes would have testified as to who would be the source of these funds. Kasama po ’yon,” ayon kay Alonto Adiong.
“I think if you go back to the transcript of the Committee on Justice confirmation hearing, Senator Trillanes actually made mention of certain individuals. And that’s actually according to his list. So, we were expecting na ’yun ang parte sa magiging testimony niya,” dugtong ng kongresista.
