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House Moves Forward With VP Impeachment Case Brief
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The impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte took another step forward on Monday as the House prosecution panel formally submitted its 57-page pre-trial brief to the Senate impeachment court ahead of the June 18 pre-trial conference.
The filing includes documentary evidence that prosecutors intend to present during the trial, along with procedural materials meant to guide how the case will be handled before the senator-judges.
House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Garafil submitted the documents on behalf of the 11-member prosecution team led by House Committee on Justice Chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.
Garafil confirmed that the team submitted 29 copies of the brief, enough for all 24 senators who will sit as impeachment judges.
“We filed 29 copies of the legal brief, which is more than enough copies for all senators, 24 of them,” Garafil told reporters.
The prosecution also submitted entries of appearance for 10 private lawyers who will assist in handling the case during trial proceedings.
When asked about the content of the brief and the identities of witnesses, Garafil declined to give further details.
“With respect to the contents of the brief, I’m not authorized to speak about it,” she said.
She also did not disclose specifics about the prosecution’s witness list.
Earlier, Rep. Luistro said the pre-trial brief includes proposed stipulations of fact, along with lists of witnesses and documentary evidence intended for presentation before the Senate impeachment court.
She revealed that the prosecution is preparing to present more than 30 witnesses, noting that the list may still expand depending on the needs of the case.
“It is more than 25. The witnesses are not only 25, it’s not only 30, it’s even more,” Luistro said.
She explained that impeachment rules require witnesses to be identified during pre-trial, although some may be reserved under certain conditions for security or procedural reasons.
Luistro added that the rules also allow parties to describe but temporarily withhold some evidence if it is not yet available or if there are concerns regarding timing and security.
The submission comes ahead of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial conference on June 18, where both sides are expected to finalize the list of evidence, witnesses, and trial procedures.
Last week, Luistro also introduced the first batch of private prosecutors who will assist the House panel on a pro bono basis, stressing that they will remain under the supervision of the prosecution team throughout the proceedings.
The House prosecution has said it is prepared to present evidence covering all four Articles of Impeachment, which include allegations of misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against senior government officials.
The filing includes documentary evidence that prosecutors intend to present during the trial, along with procedural materials meant to guide how the case will be handled before the senator-judges.
House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Garafil submitted the documents on behalf of the 11-member prosecution team led by House Committee on Justice Chairperson and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro.
Garafil confirmed that the team submitted 29 copies of the brief, enough for all 24 senators who will sit as impeachment judges.
“We filed 29 copies of the legal brief, which is more than enough copies for all senators, 24 of them,” Garafil told reporters.
The prosecution also submitted entries of appearance for 10 private lawyers who will assist in handling the case during trial proceedings.
When asked about the content of the brief and the identities of witnesses, Garafil declined to give further details.
“With respect to the contents of the brief, I’m not authorized to speak about it,” she said.
She also did not disclose specifics about the prosecution’s witness list.
Earlier, Rep. Luistro said the pre-trial brief includes proposed stipulations of fact, along with lists of witnesses and documentary evidence intended for presentation before the Senate impeachment court.
She revealed that the prosecution is preparing to present more than 30 witnesses, noting that the list may still expand depending on the needs of the case.
“It is more than 25. The witnesses are not only 25, it’s not only 30, it’s even more,” Luistro said.
She explained that impeachment rules require witnesses to be identified during pre-trial, although some may be reserved under certain conditions for security or procedural reasons.
Luistro added that the rules also allow parties to describe but temporarily withhold some evidence if it is not yet available or if there are concerns regarding timing and security.
The submission comes ahead of the Senate impeachment court’s pre-trial conference on June 18, where both sides are expected to finalize the list of evidence, witnesses, and trial procedures.
Last week, Luistro also introduced the first batch of private prosecutors who will assist the House panel on a pro bono basis, stressing that they will remain under the supervision of the prosecution team throughout the proceedings.
The House prosecution has said it is prepared to present evidence covering all four Articles of Impeachment, which include allegations of misuse of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery, and threats against senior government officials.
Jun 16, 2026
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