Former Davao City Sheriff Abe Andres has asked not to be included in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, saying he does not want to be involved in what he described as “partisan political matters.”
Andres is the former sheriff whom Duterte punched during a demolition operation in Davao City in 2011.
The House prosecution panel included Andres as a witness to support allegations under Article 4 of the impeachment complaint, which it said seeks to establish an alleged pattern of violent behavior by the Vice President.
House Prosecutor Joel Chua clarified that the 2011 incident itself would not be the primary focus of the presentation before the impeachment court.
According to Chua, the prosecution intends to present evidence related to Duterte’s alleged behavior and disposition rather than rely solely on the demolition incident.
He also said the prosecution does not need a “star witness” because videos of the Vice President’s previous statements will serve as its primary evidence.
Meanwhile, Andres reiterated that he does not wish to participate in the impeachment proceedings because he does not want to be drawn into political disputes.
The prosecution has not announced whether it will withdraw Andres from its list of witnesses following his request.
The impeachment proceedings remain ongoing, with both the prosecution and defense continuing to prepare their respective presentations before the impeachment court.
No ruling has been announced regarding Andres’ request.
