00:01Regardless of the amount, Madam Witness, it could be $43,000, it could be $2 million, it could be more,
00:08it could be less.
00:10It still is income, correct?
00:14Correct.
00:16I already answered yes, Your Honor.
00:18Okay.
00:19And as income, it should be declared.
00:25Correct?
00:26Yes.
00:27Okay.
00:27And this is income which is coming from a business, correct?
00:36Yes.
00:37Yes.
00:38And of course, as a lawyer, you know that under the Constitution, the Vice President cannot receive any other income,
00:49no matter how big or small.
00:51She cannot receive any other income or have any business interest, personal pecuniary interest in any other corporation.
01:06It is a clear prohibition in the Constitution.
01:11You agree?
01:12Your Honor, compound, misleading, calls for a conclusion.
01:19Attorney Suzette, only if you know.
01:23You may answer only if you know.
01:25If you don't, then you may say so as well.
01:27I prefer not to answer, Your Honor.
01:32You prefer not to answer?
01:34You are here.
01:34I'm not sure if you prefer not to answer, so you don't know, Attorney Suzette.
01:38I don't know your Honor.
01:45You've made your point, Attorney Lorna.
01:48Okay.
01:52Did you prefer not to answer?
01:55Why?
01:55Why do you prefer not to answer when you're here?
01:58Precisely for the purpose of clarifying the situation.
02:04Is the Vice President in violation of the Constitution by not declaring income which she received from sources other than
02:15her salary?
02:16It's a clear question.
02:18Why can you not answer that?
02:20Attorney Lorna, she changed her response to I don't know.
02:24You can repeat it again, Attorney Suzette.
02:26Your Honor, however, please allow me to speak.
02:29Yes, Attorney Suzette.
02:30Your Honor, again, our witnesses here are entitled to rights.
02:34One of those rights is not to be badgered by questions.
02:37Only this impeachment court will resolve in the final decision it will make.
02:42Because what Attorney Kapunan is asking the witnesses, isn't this a constitutional violation?
02:47But at the start of this hearing, we are all aware as lawyers, Attorney, that only the respective senator judges
02:53can make that final determination.
02:55We ask, Your Honor, that this is clearly already badgering the witness as Attorney Lorna Kapunan, with all respect, knows
03:03what she is doing, Your Honor.
03:05May we move on.
03:06I also know, Your Honor, what counsel is doing.
03:10Counsel is manifesting that I'm badgering.
03:13I may have a loud voice, Your Honor, but this is already my tame voice.
03:18It could be louder.
03:19In fact, this is my kind voice when I ask the witness, Your Honor, if she knows.
03:26Because she should know.
03:28Fifteen years in the practice of law, you do not know what should not be declared and what should be
03:34declared as a public officer.
03:36You do not know that a public officer cannot receive income apart from her legitimate salary from any other business
03:45or exercise of any profession.
03:47And to answer, Your Honor, that she prefers not to answer, I think it's a violation of her oath as
03:55a lawyer.
03:56And that's why I feel agitated, Your Honor.
03:59It's a violation of her oath of office that she will say, I do not want, I prefer not to
04:06answer.
04:06As an officer of the court, especially a highest impeachment court, to say that, Your Honor, I think that should
04:14be, that should not be accepted as an answer, Your Honor.
04:18I am badgering, Your Honor.
04:20I have the right to badger.
04:21We have the right to badger a witness who does not want to answer a question that should be answered.
04:29Forgive me, counsel, even if she refuses to answer.
04:35No counsel has the right to badger the witness still, although you can be frustrated or disappointed.
04:41However, the witness already answered that she does not know after the court reminded her that she cannot refuse to
04:52answer the question.
04:54And she already changed her answer and said, She does not know.
04:58You have made your point, counsel.
05:00You have spread into the records your theory.
05:04Move on to your next point, Attorney Lorna.
05:08Move on to your next question.isch
05:16You
