An admission against interest, particularly one that is notarized, carries greater admissibility and probative weight than official public documents, including in the case of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson made the observation during the Vice President’s impeachment trial as he questioned GenCorp Industries Inc. counsel Suzette Punay on which carries greater admissibility and probative weight: a notarized admission against interest or official public documents such as records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In Filipino: Lacson: Admission Against Interest, Mas Mabigat ang Bigat Bilang Ebidensiya Kaysa sa mga Pampublikong Dokumento
“Ang alam ko po mas may probative weight or admissibility weight yung admission against interest (From what I know, admission against interest has greater probative or admissibility weight),” Lacson said after Punay maintained that the SEC records carried greater weight.
He also referred Punay to Section 27, Rule 130 of the Rules of Court, which provides that “the act, declaration or omission of a party as to a relevant fact may be given in evidence against him or her.”
Also, Lacson cited a case where admission against interest landed the person concerned in jail.
“Meron nga akong kakilala sa TV lang nag-admit, nakulong. Admission against interest. Ito, notarized pa ito, itong SALN (I know someone who made an admission against interest on television and is now in jail. In this case, we have a notarized SALN),” he said.
Lorna Kapunan, one of the private lawyers assisting the House prosecution panel, agreed with Lacson. She pointed out that admission against interest ranks higher than public documents in the hierarchy of evidence.
“May I call the court’s attention, and rightly pointed out by Senator Ping, admission in the hierarchy of evidence is the highest. It is the highest in terms of hierarchy of evidence,” she said in her counter-manifestation to the defense counsel’s claim.
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Lacson: Admission Against Interest, Mas Mabigat ang Bigat Bilang Ebidensiya Kaysa sa mga Pampublikong Dokumento
Mas mataas ang admissibility at probative weight ng isang admission against interest, lalo na kung ito ay notarized, kumpara sa mga opisyal na pampublikong dokumento, kabilang sa kaso ni Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, ayon kay Senator-Judge Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules.
Sinabi ito ni Lacson sa impeachment trial ng Bise Presidente habang tinatanong si GenCorp Industries Inc. counsel Suzette Punay kung alin ang may mas mataas na admissibility at probative weight: isang notarized admission against interest o mga opisyal na pampublikong dokumento gaya ng mga rekord na inihain sa Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
“Ang alam ko po mas may probative weight or admissibility weight yung admission against interest,” sabi ni Lacson matapos igiit ni Punay na mas mabigat ang mga rekord sa SEC.
Itinuro rin ni Lacson kay Punay ang Section 27, Rule 130 ng Rules of Court, na nagsasaad na “the act, declaration or omission of a party as to a relevant fact may be given in evidence against him or her.”
Bukod dito, binanggit ni Lacson ang isang kaso kung saan nauwi sa pagkakakulong ng taong sangkot ang isang admission against interest.
“Meron nga akong kakilala sa TV lang nag-admit, nakulong. Admission against interest. Ito, notarized pa ito, itong SALN,” aniya.
Sumang-ayon kay Lacson si Lorna Kapunan, isa sa mga pribadong abogadong tumutulong sa House prosecution panel. Itinuro niya na mas mataas ang antas ng admission against interest kaysa sa mga pampublikong dokumento sa hierarchy of evidence.
“May I call the court’s attention, and rightly pointed out by Senator Ping, admission in the hierarchy of evidence is the highest. It is the highest in terms of hierarchy of evidence,” aniya sa kanyang counter-manifestation bilang tugon sa pahayag ng abogado ng depensa.
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