Marilyn Cahatol

Senators formally convene as an impeachment court to try the complaints filed against Vice President Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on May 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP SARA IMPEACHMENT

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/177970153576220260518-senate-impeachment-court-MT1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senators formally convene as an impeachment court to try the complaints filed against Vice President Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on May 18, 2026. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Bureau of Investigation will be among the House prosecution’s list of witnesses for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p><p>House impeachment prosecutor and Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said these officials also previously appeared before the House Committee on Justice during its hearing on the impeachment complaints against the VP.</p><p>“I can speak for unexplained wealth so, pasok pa rin po ‘yung previous House proceedings resource persons. So, Ombudsman, SEC, ‘yun pong NBI for other cases, AMLC, maisasalang din po ito. It&#x27;s the call of the panel kung sino po ‘yung isasalang, kasi, syempre kung kaya na ho namin mapatunayan ‘yun pong unexplained wealth, for example, SALN (Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth) violations, dun po sa mga listahan pa lang po na mayroon kami, then we can stop,” Ridon said.</p><p>He noted that the prosecution has yet to decide whether to include the Bureau of Internal Revenue in their list of witnesses on Duterte and her husband’s tax records.</p><p>“Even without the BIR, I think we can secure a conviction on unexplained wealth. But presenting the BIR documents, of course, would corroborate much of what had been discussed in AMLC reports, and also ‘yun pong bank accounts will be presented during trial,” Ridon said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/22/house-prosecutors-mull-including-potential-hostile-witnesses-in-duterte-trial-1704">House prosecutors eye potential &#x27;hostile witnesses&#x27; in Duterte trial</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>VOLUNTEER FINANCIAL EXPERTS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Apart from volunteer lawyers, the House prosecution panel is also tapping volunteer financial experts to analyze the AMLC records and the SALNs. </p><p>“‘Yung mga financial experts and accountants, auditors, to look into the documents. Baka may ma-miss out kami na mga financial analysis doon po sa AMLC Records, SALNs, para more or less complete ‘yung presentation namin when we get to trial,” Ridon said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>NO DELAYS </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The possibility of another Senate leadership change should not delay Duterte&#x27;s impeachment trial, according to House Impeachment Trial Spokesperson and Kabataan Party List Rep. Renee Co.</p><p>The <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 sitting as an impeachment court</a> is looking to begin the trial proper on July 6th, Sen. Erwin Tulfo said Friday.</p><p>On Monday, Sen. Francis Pangilinan confirmed that some senators in the Minority bloc were negotiating to install Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate leader.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/another-senate-shakeup-it-can-be-later-it-can-be-next-week-says-pangilinan-1211">Another Senate shakeup looming? &#x27;It can be later, it can be next week,&#x27; says Pangilinan</a></div><p>“Kung sinuman ang nasa liderato, dapat hindi niya maapektuhan ‘yung proseso ng pananagutan. Nakalagay sa Konstitusyon ‘yung mga hakbang… Hindi po pwedeng ito isantabi, porket mayroong ilang considerations, political man ‘yon or personal, na gustong unahin,” Co said.</p><p>She added that even the enforcement of an arrest warrant against a senator should not be a cause for delay.</p><p>“Dapat hindi nga ma-delay ‘yung proceedings dahil ang nakalagay nga po sa Konstitusyon ay forthwith, at hindi po dapat maantala ng mga dapat na legal processes yung pagtuloy-tuloy ng iba pang legal processes. Patok din na tanong yung… paano na po si Sen. Bato, paano na po yung ibang maaaring kasuhan? Kung anuman ‘yan, kailangan pong harapin ng ating mga opisyales ‘yung mga legal na prosesong… nakaharap sa kanila,&quot; Co said.</p><p>&quot;Kung anuman po ang kalalabasan nyan, meron tayong kasaysayan na pwedeng magtuloy-tuloy ang functions ng senator despite the effect of these legal proceedings. Hindi po dapat na magamit ‘yung mga kaso o mga warrants of arrest na dapat i-enforce bilang paghihinto ng impeachment trial,” she added. </p><p>The House of Representatives has yet to receive communication from the impeachment court regarding the schedule for Duterte’s trial, according to Co.</p><p>She said the House prosecution is awaiting the Vice President’s answer to the articles of impeachment and expressed readiness to respond to it.</p><p>The articles of impeachment accused Duterte of alleged misuse of confidential funds, alleged unexplained wealth, alleged bribery, and alleged grave threats to the President, the First Lady, and the former House Speaker.</p><p>“Sana po may substantive answers na kalakip doon sa answer na isusumite ni VP Sara. Ito po ay dahil sa pinakamatagal na panahon, procedural or technicalities ‘yung mga defenses na ina-avail ni VP Sara. So dahil po doon, ‘di natin nakikita ‘yung totoong tugon doon sa nasaan po ba ang P612.5 million in confidential and intelligence funds? Bakit po may death threats na binitawan si VP Sara dito sa Pangulo? We&#x27;re looking forward to the answer, para po ‘yung proseso ng pananagutan makapagsimula na and ‘yung accountability measures ay makamit na,” Co said.</p><p>Other preparations for the trial continue for the prosecution, including preparing the list of witnesses.</p><p>“Tuloy-tuloy ang pagsasanay at paghahanda ng House Prosecution Panel... So, andyan po ‘yung tuloy-tuloy na paghahanda for pre-marking, for pre-trial, ‘yung paglalatag ng ebidensya, pag-identify ng witnesses, ano po pwedeng tanong na itanong sa kanila, lahat po ay iniisa-isa para po tuloy-tuloy na mahanda pagkatapos na magkaroon ng palita ng answer and reply,” Co said.</p><p>The House prosecution panel also plans to hold a campus tour to tackle the impeachment process before the expected July 6 start of trial.</p><p>“Inasmuch as it&#x27;s a legal process, it is also a political process that should not just involve high-level government officials like congressmen, senators, and impeachable officials. This is as much about the nation itself,” Ridon said.</p><div><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">VP Sara Duterte has until June 1 to answer Articles of Impeachment</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eomV027iO5k?si=OgYZ8SUCeSHwKg41" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Bureau of Investigation will be among the House prosecution’s list of witnesses for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.</p>

Officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Bureau of Investigation will be among the House prosecution’s list of witnesses for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

AMLC, Ombudsman, SEC, NBI among witnesses for Sara Duterte impeachment trial — House prosecution

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AMLC, Ombudsman, SEC, NBI among witnesses for Sara Duterte impeachment trial — House prosecution

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 25, 2026 05:38 PM PHT

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Updated May 25, 2026 05:55 PM PHT

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