Speaking of demeanor, it was San Juan Rep. and prosecutor Bel Zamora whose courtroom disposition was put in the spotlight.
Later, it was the turn of Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte.
I will not dignify any allusion to sexism simply because the subject was a woman and in another day is a man.
They were not on the same plane in the impeachment trial. One was prosecuting; the other was sitting as an adverse witness for the prosecution.
But demeanor, regardless of sex, is demeanor.
And it has become a subject of public conversation.
One’s facial expression, manner of speaking and level of comfort can sometimes communicate as much as the words themselves.
Zamora came into the courtroom seemingly intent on impressing upon the impeachment court the seriousness of the charges hurled against Vice President Sara Duterte.
She, however, was confronted with a witness of their own choosing who did not appear to possess the expertise or competence to support the charge of unexplained wealth.
As hard as she tried, the attention seemed to shift from her legal skills as direct examiner to her composure and command of the proceeding. It did not help that her facial expressions and courtroom bearing did not quite project the confidence of someone determined to prove that the House of Representatives did not err in impeaching the Vice President.
Mayor Baste Duterte, on the other hand, exuded a different aura.
He was a picture of confidence—candid and forthright. His replies were direct and short. There was no extra effort to explain, qualify or embellish his testimony.
If there was anything the prosecution appeared to be looking for, it was an implosion.
It did not happen.
And this is where demeanor is often better seen in a trial than read in stenographic notes.
Unfortunately for the prosecution, it may have just given the defense another lifeline.
One might even wonder whether bringing Mayor Baste Duterte to the witness stand has inadvertently given the nation a glimpse of the future.
