23/08/2026
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‘SHE’S DOING A VERY BAD JOB’
Nagbigay ng matinding puna si dating DILG chief Rafael Alunan kay defense counsel Atty. Kristine Ferrer kaugnay ng naging pahayag nito tungkol sa paggamit ng misleading questions sa cross-examination sa impeachment trial.
Ayon kay Alunan, tila nagkakaroon umano ng kalituhan sa pagitan ng leading questions at misleading questions.
“For the record as defense counsel does not seem to know the difference between a leading and a misleading question, as well as what’s allowed and disallowed.”
Ipinaliwanag ni Alunan ang pagkakaiba ng dalawang uri ng tanong:
“A leading question suggests to the witness the answer desired (this is allowed on cross-examination).”
“A misleading question assumes facts not in evidence or contradicts past testimony (this is forbidden in ALL examinations).”
Dahil dito, iginiit ni Alunan na mali umano ang naging pahayag ng defense counsel tungkol sa pagiging pinapayagan ng misleading questions.
“The claim made by the defense lawyer is completely incorrect.”
Binanggit din niya ang Rule 132, Section 10 ng Revised Rules on Evidence bilang batayan ng kanyang argumento. Ayon sa probisyon, ang leading questions ay may ilang exceptions, kabilang ang cross-examination, habang ang misleading question ay hindi pinapayagan.
“A misleading question is one which assumes as true a fact not yet testified to by the witness, or contrary to that which he or she has previously stated. It is not allowed.”
Iginiit pa ni Alunan na kung magpapatuloy umano ang isang abogado sa maling pagbanggit o pagpapaliwanag ng batas, maaari itong umabot sa usapin ng professional responsibility.
Sa huli, dalawang posibilidad ang iniharap ni Alunan sa naging posisyon ng defense counsel: maaaring hindi umano nito alam ang naturang rules, o sadyang ginagamit ang isyu upang ilihis ang atensyon mula sa kanilang kliyente.
“The defense counsel may be ignorant of those rules indicating incompetence; or may be deliberately trying to derail, divert attention, draw focus away from her obviously indefensible client, and delay the court proceedings as much as she can, out of sheer desperation.”
At mariin niyang tinapos ang kanyang pahayag:
“Either way she’s doing a very bad job of it that isn’t helping her client one bit.”
