The former dean of the College of Law at the University of Saint La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod City has declined a request to serve as a defense witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Bacolod-based lawyer Ralph Sarmiento, who also previously served as USLS Vice Chancellor for Administration and continues to teach Constitutional Law at the university’s College of Law, told DIGICAST NEGROS Thursday, Nov. 5, that he conveyed his position to the defense team, and they respected his decision.
He expressed gratitude to Duterte’s defense team for recognizing the value of the constitutional and legal insights he has been sharing on social media.
“I had not anticipated that these views might potentially become part of the impeachment proceedings,” Sarmiento said.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to decline participation as a witness in the proceedings. This is a personal decision to preserve the independence of my constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of my legal views and opinions,” he said in a Facebook post.
Sarmiento noted that he reached out to the defense team to request the withdrawal of a subpoena for his appearance—a request they honored.
“I remain committed to contributing to the public’s understanding of the Constitution through independent and balanced legal analysis,” he added.*
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