The Senate session hall, Philippine Senate. Photo: Avito Dalan / Philippine News Agency (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons.
Day 33 Opens With a Plea for Civility
Thirty-three days in, Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial opened Monday, Oct. 5, with a reminder about manners. GMA News reported that Presiding Officer Francis Escudero called for civility as “emotions run high,” citing US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
“The justice system cannot function effectively when the professionals charged with administering it cannot even be polite to one another,” Escudero said, quoting O’Connor. In his own words: “Our duty is not to prevail over one another, but to assist this Court in the fair and orderly administration of justice.”
Tensions had been simmering over the pace of the trial. Over the weekend, Sens. Francis Pangilinan and Panfilo Lacson pushed back on the court spokesperson’s projection of a Dec. 16 verdict, saying the court has not set a verdict date, Philstar reported.
Prosecutors Drop the Bribery Charge
The bigger headline came a day earlier. Manila Rep. Joel Chua, a member of the prosecution panel, confirmed in a Sunday radio interview that the panel will drop the bribery allegation. “Yes, it is confirmed,” he said, the Daily Tribune reported.
Article III accused Duterte of bribing Department of Education officials while she was education secretary from 2022 to 2024, including nine envelopes allegedly given to then-DepEd Undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado, each containing P50,000.
Chua said the move was meant to speed up proceedings and keep the trial from running into next year, not because prosecutors consider the case weak. He said the panel believes the evidence under the remaining articles is sufficient. He hoped the trial ends “by November or at the latest is December,” adding, “it still depends on the defense.”
It is a turnaround. In early September, lead prosecutor Jinky Luistro told the court, “We’re not waiving the presentation of evidence for bribery,” the Tribune reported. The House impeached Duterte in May 2026 on allegations of theft of confidential funds, unexplained wealth, bribery and grave threats.
Malacañang questioned the decision. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that including the allegation implies prosecutors had enough evidence to discuss it, and asked whether backing out would shortchange Filipinos who want to know the whole truth. She also said the decision ultimately rests with the prosecution.
AMLC Takes the Stand on Unexplained Wealth
With bribery out, Article II takes center stage. It accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth and failing to fully disclose her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities and net worth. The House prosecution put Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura on the stand. He previously told the House committee on justice about billions of pesos worth of transactions involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio.
Philstar reported that the Article II case rests largely on AMLC reports covering P6.77 billion in transactions involving the Vice President and her husband.
Defense counsel Mark Vinluan moved to exclude Buenaventura’s testimony, arguing it would violate confidentiality and disclosure rules. The defense had raised a similar concern on Thursday, citing Section 8-A of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Philstar reported. Escudero denied the motion, ruling that AMLC reports are not absolutely immune from compulsory process, according to the Inquirer.
The Defense Says It Needs More Time
The defense had already pushed back on the pace. On Thursday, Oct. 1, the court granted its request to postpone Buenaventura to Monday. Defense counsel Sheila Sison said the defense received an 11-page AMLC summary late that morning and had “at least 23 to 24 boxes of documents” to examine. Escudero, citing courtesy and equity, granted the deferment.
That same day, prosecutors dropped former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV as a witness. Lead prosecutor Luistro said the panel “will no longer be presenting the former senator,” without giving a reason. Trillanes said in a statement the decision was made at his request.
Trillanes had claimed before the House justice committee in April that Duterte and members of her immediate family received millions from an alleged drug lord. Duterte has denied the allegation.
Only two witnesses testified Thursday: the registers of deeds of Davao City and Samal. Both said their role is ministerial and they could not say whether properties matched entries in Duterte’s SALNs.
What Comes Next
Representatives of Land Bank of the Philippines, Asia United Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Philippine National Bank and BDO Unibank were also expected to testify Monday, the Inquirer reported, along with insurance and securities firms.
Prosecutors have already finished presenting evidence on alleged threats against high-ranking officials and alleged misuse of confidential funds, the Tribune reported, and are now on alleged unexplained wealth.
Separately, the International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed on 23 April 2026 all three counts of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and committed him to trial, which the court says is scheduled to open 30 November 2026. As with all ICC suspects, he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty, the court says.
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