Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Vivienne Gulla

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The House prosecution may waive the presentation of an impeachment article against Vice President Sara Duterte, if it will unnecessarily prolong the trial and evidence on other articles are “solid”, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua. </p><p>He expects Duterte’s impeachment trial to conclude no later than October.</p><p>“’Yung 17 months na sinasabi nila ito lamang po ang requested trial dates both ng public at saka ng private. But it does not follow na iko-consume mo o uubusin mo lahat ‘yun. In fact, pati sa mga testigo, nilagay po namin syempre lahat diyan, ‘yung sa tingin namin na testigo na kakailanganin namin. Like for example dito sa ating Article 4, nakalagay sa aming pre-trial brief ‘yung Sheriff, si Atty. Zuleika at kung sinu-sino pa. Pero nakita n’yo ngayon, ang isasalang lang tatlo. Pagkatapos ni Atty. Matibag, tapos na. Bakit? Kasi based sa aming observation at base sa aming pag-aaral, na-meet na namin ‘yung ine-expect namin na palabasin na ebidensya dito sa Article 4,” Chua said.</p><p>“So ganoon din ang mangyayari sa mga susunod na mga article. Kung sa palagay namin matibay na matibay na ang aming ebidensya. So hindi na darating sa punto na sasayangin pa namin ang oras ng korte,” he added.</p><p>“Kung may article kami na sa tingin namin pagkatapos namin i-presenta ‘yung isa, dalawa o tatlong article, baka may isang article kami na hindi na namin kailangan i-presenta, dahil solid na solid na ang mga ebidensya doon pa lang sa dalawa o sa tatlong article… Pwedeng i-waive na namin ‘yung isang article. So ‘pag ganoon ang nangyayari, iiksi na naman po ang trial dates… Baka September, October tapos na po tayo,” Chua said.</p><p>“Titingnan natin kung ano’ng mangyayari sa mga susunod pang mga article. So sa tinging nga namin kagaya ng nabanggit ko kanina after 1,2,3 eh talagang matibay na matibay na talaga, overflowing na talaga ‘yung mga ebidensya, at sa tingin namin para makatulong na rin kami sa impeachment court na mapaiksi at mapabilis itong hearing, e pwede rin naming i-consider. But as of now, syempre nandoon tayo sa proseso na lahat ‘yan i-presenta. Ito namang sinasabi ko lamang ay puro possibilities, kagaya ng nangyari ngayon, napaiksi tayo na tatlong testigo lang,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MATIBAG’S TESTIMONY</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>NBI Director Melvin Matibag will attend Duterte’s impeachment trial on Tuesday, and skip a regional summit he was supposed to attend in Bangkok, Thailand on the same day, according to Counsel for the Prosecutors, Atty. Lorna Kapunan.</p><p>She said Matibag’s testimony will be “essential” to complete the narrative on the Bureau’s investigation into Duterte’s alleged grave threats against the President, the First Lady and the former House Speaker. </p><p>The NBI previously told a House panel that it was following “leads” on the individual Duterte spoke with supposedly to kill the officials.</p><p>“Mayroon bang continuing investigation? Kaya essential po ‘yung testimony of Director Matibag… Hindi po siya pupunta sa conference niya, para mag-attend sa Senate impeachment hearing,” Kapunan said.</p><p>“The testimony of Dir. Matibag will complete the whole narrative… ‘Yung testimony ni Atty. Lotoc that said from the Cybercrime Division, this was referred to another division of the NBI. So I think it is reasonable to assume that the story, ‘yung buong storya malalaman n’yo sa Tuesday,” she added.</p><p>House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega is expecting “fireworks” from Matibag’s testimony.</p><p>He said the prosecution is ready to present Matibag, amid the perceived “friction” between him and Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano.</p><p>“Nasa kanya po lahat ‘yung full access sa mga record, sa mga importanteng dokumento ng NBI.  Sobrang crucial po ‘yung pag-upo niya. Siguro naintindihan din po natin na nung nakaraang Senate presidency ni former Senate President Allan, medyo mayroon po silang konting friction at nakita po natin ‘yun kahapon sa mga statements, sa mga manifestations. Pero sana mapag-usapan nila ‘yan at makita ng Impeachment Court ‘yung halaga. Kasi sa prosecution side sobrang importante po yung pagiging pag-upo na witness ni Director Matibag,” Ortega said.</p><p>“Nakahanda po ang prosecutors, syempre dadalo po si NBI Dir. Matibag, inaasahan po natin na sa pagdating po niya doon.. medyo mahaba, maraming tanong,” he added.</p><p>Kapunan, meanwhile, assured Senator-Judge Robinhood Padilla that there is no script or conspiracy against the prosecution.</p><p>“Nagmanifestation din po si Sen. Robinhood Padilla na sana ay hindi po ito conspiracy of sorts, na bakit isa-isa nang nauubos ang mga senators na wala sa majority... I just like to assure the public that wala pong kinalaman ang mga kaso outside the Impeachment Court. It is not within the control of the House. Ibang department of government ‘yun. If government agencies do their own duties, part of their duty iyan… Hindi naman filed yesterday ito. Hindi naman filed sa start ng impeachment case ito… Be assured Senator Robinhood na wala hong script ito or conspiracy. Wala pong operation Romanov against the Senator-Judges who are not part of the majority bloc. Para sa bayan lang ito, para sa katotohanan,” she said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUE PROCESS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Kapunan welcomed the defense team’s statement that they are “not afraid” of the financial documents, which the prosecution requested the Impeachment Court to subpoena. </p><p>She also asserted that their request does not violate due process or right to privacy.</p><p>“Due process is not violated. Your right to privacy is not violated, because first of all, sa due process mayroon naman silang opportunity to cross-examine kung authentic ba ‘yung bank records na ‘yun, what does it prove, etc. We welcome the statement of the defense that they are not opposed to the opening of the bank records and the BIR statements, because kung sinasabi nilang due process of the Defense, mayroon rin due process ang taong bayan. Mayroon ding due process dapat ang prosecution to be able to present its case. So due process on both sides tayo,” Kapunan said.</p>

<p>The House prosecution may waive the presentation of an impeachment article against Vice President Sara Duterte, if it will unnecessarily prolong the trial and evidence on other articles are “solid”, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua. </p>

The House prosecution may waive the presentation of an impeachment article against Vice President Sara Duterte, if it will unnecessarily prolong the trial and evidence on other articles are “solid”, according to House Impeachment Prosecutor Rep. Joel Chua.

'Waiving presentation of impeachment article against Sara Duterte possible'

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'Waiving presentation of impeachment article against Sara Duterte possible'

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 16, 2026 05:07 PM PHT

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Sara Duterte

impeachment trial

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