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Advocates Philippines
House Set To Present First Witness In Sara Duterte Trial
Photo credit: Congress PH
The House prosecution panel said Friday it is ready to present its first witness when the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte opens on July 6, marking the start of what could be several months of proceedings before the Senate impeachment court.
During a virtual press briefing, House prosecution panel legal spokesperson and private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the prosecution has lined up its first witness for the opening day of the trial.
“The first day of hearing for the presentation of our first witness is scheduled on July 6,” Tolosa said.
According to Tolosa, hearings for the presentation of witnesses and documentary evidence are initially scheduled every Monday to Wednesday until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.
After the SONA, the Senate impeachment court is expected to shift the trial schedule to Tuesdays through Thursdays each week to accommodate the regular legislative calendar.
Based on the timetable proposed during pre-trial, prosecutors have requested 62 trial days to present their case, while the defense has asked for 30 trial days to present its evidence.
“So kung babasihin natin dito, at least three months ho ’yan, could be more,” Tolosa said.
He clarified, however, that the timeline remains an estimate and that the proceedings could conclude sooner if multiple witnesses are presented during a single hearing.
“It would still depend on several circumstances, for example, kung possible we could present more than one witness per day. So pwede ho mapabilis,” Tolosa explained.
The House prosecution panel has repeatedly emphasized that its request for 62 hearing days represents the maximum amount of time it may need rather than the actual number of days it expects to consume. Prosecutors said the request reflects the large volume of documentary evidence they intend to present, including thousands of records related to the Vice President's alleged use of confidential and intelligence funds.
The panel has also finalized a list of 57 witnesses, saying the number was determined during the pre-trial conference to comply with Senate impeachment rules, which generally prohibit the presentation of witnesses who were not identified before the trial begins.
The Senate impeachment court completed pre-trial proceedings on June 25 after resolving procedural matters and identifying the evidence and witnesses to be presented by both sides. The trial is scheduled to formally begin on July 6, when House prosecutors are expected to start presenting evidence in support of the Articles of Impeachment approved by the House of Representatives.
Vice President Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations against her and has vowed to contest the charges before the Senate impeachment court. The impeachment complaint includes accusations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and other alleged acts committed while in office.
If convicted by the Senate, the Vice President would need the votes of at least two-thirds of the 24-member impeachment court, or 16 senators, to be removed from office and potentially disqualified from holding future public office.
During a virtual press briefing, House prosecution panel legal spokesperson and private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the prosecution has lined up its first witness for the opening day of the trial.
“The first day of hearing for the presentation of our first witness is scheduled on July 6,” Tolosa said.
According to Tolosa, hearings for the presentation of witnesses and documentary evidence are initially scheduled every Monday to Wednesday until President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.
After the SONA, the Senate impeachment court is expected to shift the trial schedule to Tuesdays through Thursdays each week to accommodate the regular legislative calendar.
Based on the timetable proposed during pre-trial, prosecutors have requested 62 trial days to present their case, while the defense has asked for 30 trial days to present its evidence.
“So kung babasihin natin dito, at least three months ho ’yan, could be more,” Tolosa said.
He clarified, however, that the timeline remains an estimate and that the proceedings could conclude sooner if multiple witnesses are presented during a single hearing.
“It would still depend on several circumstances, for example, kung possible we could present more than one witness per day. So pwede ho mapabilis,” Tolosa explained.
The House prosecution panel has repeatedly emphasized that its request for 62 hearing days represents the maximum amount of time it may need rather than the actual number of days it expects to consume. Prosecutors said the request reflects the large volume of documentary evidence they intend to present, including thousands of records related to the Vice President's alleged use of confidential and intelligence funds.
The panel has also finalized a list of 57 witnesses, saying the number was determined during the pre-trial conference to comply with Senate impeachment rules, which generally prohibit the presentation of witnesses who were not identified before the trial begins.
The Senate impeachment court completed pre-trial proceedings on June 25 after resolving procedural matters and identifying the evidence and witnesses to be presented by both sides. The trial is scheduled to formally begin on July 6, when House prosecutors are expected to start presenting evidence in support of the Articles of Impeachment approved by the House of Representatives.
Vice President Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations against her and has vowed to contest the charges before the Senate impeachment court. The impeachment complaint includes accusations involving the alleged misuse of confidential funds, betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, and other alleged acts committed while in office.
If convicted by the Senate, the Vice President would need the votes of at least two-thirds of the 24-member impeachment court, or 16 senators, to be removed from office and potentially disqualified from holding future public office.
Jun 26, 2026
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