The Senate is set to begin Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial on July 6, 2026, as it finalizes the pre-trial order that will guide the proceedings.
The Senate had earlier expected the trial to last about seven to eight months. However, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said that timeline would push the proceedings too far into 2027.
Due to that, the chamber is now looking for a shorter and more focused trial schedule while still keeping the case on track.
Bantug said the pre-trial order will serve as the roadmap for the hearings and will help define what both sides can present before the impeachment court.
The pre-trial phase began on June 18, 2026, and ended after five sessions on June 25, 2026.
During that phase, the prosecution and defense teams marked evidence, discussed possible witnesses, and worked on the order of presentation.
Bantug added that the final pre-trial order will first be sent to both sides so they can submit their comments by July 1, 2026.
House Prosecutors Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno argued that ending the case early would go against the Constitution and deny the public a full and fair process.
Diokno and De Lima stated that the impeachment court should hear the evidence and allow both sides to present their arguments before making any decision.
“That’s why we’re studying how to hasten the impeachment trial. We will consult the prosecution and the defense on how we can shorten the process,” stated Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian.
REFERENCES:
Clores, K. (2026, June 29). Bantug: Pretrial order sent to parties in Sara Duterte impeachment case. INQUIRER.net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2254726/bantug-pretrial-order-sent-to-parties-in-sara-impeachment-case
Servallos, N. (2026, June 28). Senate eyes shorter VP Sara impeachment trial.Philstar.com. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/06/29/2538499/senate-eyes-shorter-vp-sara-impeachment-trial
Leon, D. de. (2026, June 29). Prosecution opposes scenario of impeach court junking Sara Duterte case without trial. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/philippines/prosecution-rejects-scenario-impeachment-court-junking-sara-duterte-case-without-trial/
No comments:
Post a Comment