Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP SARA DUTERTE

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177935408023920260218-vp-sara-duterte-presidency-MT4.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte announces her intention to run for the presidency in the 2028 national elections during a press conference at the Office of the Vice President (OVP) headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The House prosecution panel said Thursday it was “ready” for a <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-may-start-july-6-1040">possible July 6 start</a> of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. </p><p>The panel’s lead, Rep. Gerville Luistro, and member, Rep. Terry Ridon issued the statement following Senator Erwin Tulfo’s pronouncement that trial proper is expected to begin on the said date.</p><p>Luistro is optimistic there will no longer be a hurdle for the trial to begin.</p><p>“We are very much positive, kasi we&#x27;ve seen na nag-convene na ‘yung impeachment court and now we&#x27;re hearing news na may mga kinoconsider na silang dates ng trial... We are really welcoming that. It appears to us that they are indeed responding to the mandate of forthwith in our Constitution,” Luistro said.</p><p>“Sa part ng House, of course, we will be very much ready to appear before the impeachment court on the start of the trial, hopefully on July 6th… Sana magkaroon na ng official notice for the start of the trial as well as the holding of the pre-trial conference and pre-trial,” sheadded.</p><p>“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa Senado, dahil nakapagtakda na po sila ng petsa kung kailan po magsisimula po ‘yung paglilitis na ating pong Pangalawang Pangulo. So, handa naman po ang House Prosecution Panel na makapag-presenta ng ebidensya sa petsa pong ito and throughout the scheduled trial dates,” Ridon said.</p><p>The House prosecution team has yet to receive a formal notice regarding the schedule of Duterte’s impeachment trial. The trial is expected to begin after the Vice President<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/vp-sara-duterte-has-until-june-1-to-answer-articles-of-impeachment-1731"> files her answer </a>to the articles of impeachment, the prosecution replies to that answer, a pre-trial conference, and a pre-trial.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/ovp-confirms-receipt-of-senate-impeachment-court-summons-1054">OVP confirms receipt of Senate impeachment court summons </a></div><p>If the Vice President doesn’t file an answer, Ridon believes there won’t be a need for the prosecution to file a reply. He added that it is up to Duterte whether or not she will show up in her impeachment trial, but it will not derail the trial.</p><p>“‘Yung Pangalawang Pangulo po ‘yung magpapasya. Kung tingin po nila mahalagang magpakita or mahalagang</p><p>mag-take ng witness stand. Siya po mismo ‘yung bahala kung isasalang po niya ‘yung sarili niya po sa paglilitis… Magpapatuloy po ‘yung pong paglilitis kahit hindi po siya magpakita,” Ridon said.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xjRgeAm8Iug?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PREPARATIONS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The House prosecution’s preparations are in “full swing”, according to Luistro. These include holding mock trials, finalizing their list of witnesses, documentary and video evidence, and their presentation strategies for each article of impeachment.</p><p>Luistro added that the panel is revisiting rules on evidence and courtroom procedures ahead of the Senate trial.</p><p>“Mga lawyers kami na napatigil ng litigation when we embarked in public service… We really need to make a lot of adjustments for us to be able to be ready again, competent again to do the direct examination and the cross-examination. So, it&#x27;s just us asking each other about possible questions which can be raised,” she said. </p><p>“Ang biruan namin, para kaming bumalik sa bar review. Because we really need to read again the rules on evidence, the trial technique, and we need to prepare the necessary questions, which we must propound on the occasion of the direct examination. Dapat ma-establish namin kung ano’ng gusto naming maipakita sa impeachment court,” Luistro added.</p><p>“All of us, the 11 prosecutors at the minimum, will be doing a direct examination of two witnesses. That&#x27;s the minimum… Kung gusto pa nilang makarami, we can give them more assignments,” she noted.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/19/vp-duterte-s-absence-at-senate-won-t-delay-trial-prosecutor-1253">Sara Duterte&#x27;s possible absence at Senate impeachment trial won&#x27;t delay proceedings, House prosecutor says </a></div><p>The House prosecution panel will present the articles in a sequence different from how it was enumerated in the articles of impeachment. Luistro said they wanted to start with the “simplest” and the “strongest” article.</p><p>“Tinitingnan namin kung alin ‘yung strongest, alin ‘yung pinakamadali. Although our submission is all of them are strong. Kaya lang magkakaiba sila ng nature, magkakaiba rin ng evidence. What we really wanted to happen is at the earliest possible time, at least may mas-establish ka agad kami, at least one,” she said. </p><p>The House prosecution is still finalizing the list of “pro-bono” private prosecutors for the trial, since there are several volunteering their services.</p><p>“Actually, kaya kami nahihirapang mag-publicize ng public prosecutors, because there are a lot of them na sikat at highly competent, mga abugado de campanilla, expert on impeachment. We really don&#x27;t know kung sino’ng aming ilalagay on board. And come to think of this,</p><p>ito pro bono, and everybody wanted to help. How I wish we can take all of them. But of course, we need to come up with reasonable number of private prosecutors only, kasi baka hindi kami magkasya doon sa loob ng gallery ng Senate,” Luistro said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/18/senate-set-to-convene-as-impeachment-court-for-sara-duterte-trial-1211">Senate convenes as impeachment court for Sara Duterte trial </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ij45jDs_1l8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>NO TO REMOTE VOTING</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Luistro believes senator-judges should be physically present to participate and vote on Duterte’s impeachment trial.</p><p>“It is important that the senator-judges witness the demeanor of the witnesses. The demeanor determines whether or not the witnesses are telling the truth or otherwise. Also, it is important that they can examine, they can personally examine all the documents which will be presented by both parties,&quot; she said. </p><p>&quot;And having said so, kung present sila during the presentation of evidence, we have more reason to say that they must be present as well during the casting of vote, because this is a very solemn process which concerns the entire Philippine nation,” Luistro said, noting it is her personal opinion, and not the entire prosecution’s.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/20/can-bato-participate-vote-in-vp-duterte-impeachment-trial-from-afar-experts-weigh-in-1401">Can Bato participate, vote in VP Duterte impeachment trial from afar? Experts weigh in </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/21/vida-pnp-nbi-now-tasked-to-effect-arrest-of-dela-rosa-1242">DOJ tells PNP, NBI to arrest &#x27;fugitive&#x27; Dela Rosa </a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>NOT A FACTOR</strong></div><div><strong> </strong></div><p>House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin said on Thursday that the recent removal of two congressmen from the position of House committee chairperson was not connected to their vote against Duterte’s impeachment.</p><p>Southern Leyte First District Rep. Roger Mercado has been replaced as chairperson of the House Committee on Population and Family Relations by Northern Samar Second District Rep. Edwin Ongchuan. Laguna Second District Rep. Ramil Hernandez has also been replaced as chairperson of the House Special Committee on Southern Tagalog Development by Laguna Third District Rep. Loreto Amante. </p><p>The House majority, meanwhile, removed Mercado and Agusan del Norte Rep. Dale Corvera from the post of House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairpersons.</p><p>Mercado, Corvera, and Hernandez all voted against Duterte’s impeachment. But there are still House members who voted no that continue to hold committee leadership positions.</p><p>“No, it&#x27;s not a factor. May mga naglipatan kasi ng partido eh. So nagbago rin ‘yung mga allocations. Kasi usually ano ‘yan eh, ratio and proportion, may mga allocation per party. Changing to another party will also mean relinquishing your position on your previous party,” Garin said. </p><p>Luistro also believes the recent changes in committee chairmanship was connected to lawmakers’ impeachment vote.</p><p>“Sometimes even without constitutional processes like this, maaalala niyo, nagkakaroon naman talaga ng mga re-organization from time to time, ‘di ba?  Sometimes napapalipat sa ibang committee, sometimes nako-consider ‘yong perhaps mas-fitted doon sa chairmanship ng committee,” Luistro said.</p><p>“Wala naman akong naririnig na ganyan from the leadership. As a matter of fact, with respect to my chairmanship, wala namang nakiusap, wala namang kumumbinse, or wala namang nanakot. I simply responded to my constitutional duty and I voted depending on my conscience, and because I saw the evidence so I voted. That is because that is my position, and not because may kumausap sa akin or may pressure,” Luistro noted.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JicWvUmz9dg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IZN40FzQKvc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IRKVUVy-h2s?&amp;pp=0gcJCQQLAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The House prosecution panel said Thursday it was “ready” for a possible July 6 start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.</p>

The House prosecution panel said Thursday it was “ready” for a possible July 6 start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

House prosecution ‘ready’ for possible July 6 start of Sara Duterte impeachment trial

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House prosecution ‘ready’ for possible July 6 start of Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 21, 2026 05:06 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

impeachment

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