Tovic Salvador

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte cross-examines the first witness presented by the House prosecution panel during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, resumed its hearing on Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which covers the alleged grave threats by the vice president against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, who reviewed the video cited by the prosecution in support of its allegations, returns to the witness stand to respond to questions from defense lawyers. The trial has been adjourned until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 13, when the House prosecution panel is expected to present its second witness, Atty. Jeremy Lontoc.
Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

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/178385045354220260709-senate-impeachment-day3-WA-44.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Senator-judge Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8. Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Senator-judge Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero, the presiding officer of the impeachment court, during the third day of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, July 8. <em>Wendell D. Alinea, Senate Social Media Unit</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte vowed that the process in the proceedings will be faster than what transpired in the first week. </p><p>This, as Senator-judge Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero admitted that the conduct of the proceedings had been slow as both parties and even senator-judges are adjusting to the trial process.</p><p>“So ang simula talaga nito, ‘yung nangangapapa ang ilan, kabilang na ako, medyo may kabagalan talaga sa simula. Pero inaasahan ko na sa mga darating na linggo, mas bibilis na ito,” he said in his Youtube podcast published Sunday, July 12.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/10/sandiganbayan-rejects-jinggoy-s-bid-to-attend-vp-sara-impeachment-trial-0842"><strong>Sandiganbayan rejects Jinggoy&#x27;s bid to attend VP Sara impeachment trial</strong></a></div><p>“Sana po unawain ninyo, pero mas mabilis na po ang takbo ng impeachment na hindi naman po minamadali yung proseso,” Escudero added. </p><p>The senator-judge hopes that the trial will conclude before November or December but noted that it will still depend on the witnesses that both the prosecution and the defense will present.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>’HIND KO GINUSTO ‘TO’</strong></div><p>Escudero also weighed in on his election as the Senate impeachment court’s presiding officer amid pushbacks from some Minority senators and Duterte-allied lawyers who challenged it before the Supreme Court.</p><p>“Hindi ko ginusto to, hindi ko hiningi to, hindi ko hinanap ito pero hindi ko rin tatalikuran ang iniatas na responsibilidad sakin na tulungan ang senado at impeachment court na malampasan itong bahaging ito kasaysayan ng Senado at impeachment court kaugnay sa impeachment complaint laban sa ating ikalawang pangulo,” he said. </p><p>“Karapatan po nila yan at mas magandang iyakyat nila sa Korte Suprema upang mapagpasyahan ng may buong linaw para sa hindi malayong hinaharap o sa hinaharap kung mangyari man ito muli, may gabay na tayo kung pwede nga ba o hindi yan at hindi na natin pag-aawayan pang muli ito,” Escudero stated.</p><div><a class="fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/11/next-nbi-witness-to-strengthen-testimony-of-calilung-de-lima-1308"><strong>Next NBI witness to &#x27;strengthen&#x27; testimony of Calilung – De Lima </strong></a> </div><p>The presiding officer further vowed to conduct a fair and just trial for all parties under his helm. </p><p>“Kung ano man ang konklusyon, sino man ang mapaburan nito, sino man ang masaktan, sana tanggapin ang magkabilang panig, unawain at maunawaan dahil ginagampanan lamang po ng Senado ang aming trabaho nang walang dapat kinikilingan ng bawat isa sa amin,” Escudero said.</p><div> </div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XNaOicBI5kg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte vowed that the process in the proceedings will be faster than what transpired in the first week.</p>

The presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte vowed that the process in the proceedings will be faster than what transpired in the first week.

Escudero vows impeachment process to be faster in coming weeks: ‘Nangangapa pa ang ilan’

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Escudero vows impeachment process to be faster in coming weeks: ‘Nangangapa pa ang ilan’

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 12, 2026 06:14 PM PHT

Read More:

Chiz Escudero

Impeachment

Presiding judge

sara Duterte

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