Jamaine Punzalan

Members of the defense and prosecution panels arrive at the Senate of the Philippines on June 23, 2026, for the third pre-trial proceedings in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The proceedings are expected to address pending motions and procedural matters ahead of the formal presentation of evidence. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

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/178298381757820260623-senate-impeachment-pre-trial-day3-MT6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"></span></span></span></div><p>Members of the defense and prosecution panels arrive at the Senate of the Philippines on June 23, 2026, for the third pre-trial proceedings in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</p><p>MANILA — The House prosecution panel has forgone filing a comment on the Senate Impeachment Court’s pre-trial order to “avoid delays” in the July 6 start of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.</a></p><p>The panel’s legal spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr. and House impeachment prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon explained there are no significant issues in the pre-trial order, which require correction.</p><p>“We will not be filing a Comment on the Pre-Trial Order to avoid any possibility that it could be used to delay the hearing on July 6. In any event, there are no significant issues in the Pre-Trial Order that require correction,” Tolosa said.</p><p>“Tingin ko naman po, wala na pong kailangang idagdag pa dito sa mga komento sa pre-trial order. Lalo’t higit, very important po sa amin ‘yun pong pagsisimula na, without further delay ito pong July 6, first trial date ng impeachment po ni Vice President Sara Duterte,” Ridon added.</p><p>He noted matters raised by the prosecution in a previous manifestation could be taken up by the Senate Impeachment Court during the trial proper. These include opening the sealed box containing Duterte’s and her husband’s tax records, and the manifestation to permit both public and private prosecutors to participate in the examination of a witness.</p><p>“Tuloy pa rin naman po ‘yung manifestation. So if it gets taken up during the first day of trial, then it is something that will be resolved on the first day of trial on Monday,” Ridon said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">Impeachment Trial of Sara Duterte </a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WITNESSES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The prosecution, meanwhile, submitted to the Senate Impeachment Court an initial list of witnesses they plan to present next week.</p><p>“Mayroon na kaming sinubmit, kasi requirement ng pre-trial na three days before the hearing, e dapat ilista na namin ang mga witnesses para walang surprise,” private prosecutor Lorna Kapunan said.</p><p>“On the first week of the trial of the Vice President, ito po ay patungkol sa threats. So lahat po ng witnesses relating to threats, isasalang po namin sa susunod pong linggo. Hindi naman na required na maipasa po lahat ng mga pangalan. Kailangan lang po ‘yung mga pangalan na isasalang doon po sa tatlong araw ng paglilitis sa darating linggo,” Ridon added.</p><p>Lead House impeachment orosecutor Rep. Gerville Luistro gave assurances the House prosecution panel is ready for the impeachment trial, which starts Monday.</p><p>“We are very much ready. As a matter of fact, 19th Congress pa tayo naghahanda, and I can honestly tell the Filipino people, the House prosecutors and the private prosecutors are all ready, as we start this impeachment trial this coming July 6,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/2/vp-duterte-impeachment-may-end-up-in-supreme-court-azcuna-says-1646">Sara Duterte impeachment may end up in Supreme Court, Azcuna says</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/2/impeachment-prosecution-attends-mass-ahead-of-sara-duterte-trial-1508">Impeachment prosecution hears Mass ahead of VP Duterte trial</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/30/senate-very-prepared-for-sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-gatchalian-1445">Senate &#x27;very prepared&#x27; for Duterte impeachment trial – Gatchalian </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/3W_uKi1TeSk?&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/G8Qfj4zA7Hc?&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/U8o_2gUoHmg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The House prosecution panel has forgone filing a comment on the Senate Impeachment Court’s pre-trial order to “avoid delays” in the July 6 start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.</p>

The House prosecution panel has forgone filing a comment on the Senate Impeachment Court’s pre-trial order to “avoid delays” in the July 6 start of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.

House prosecution forgoes filing comment on pre-trial order to ‘avoid delays’ in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

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House prosecution forgoes filing comment on pre-trial order to ‘avoid delays’ in Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 02, 2026 05:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Duterte impeachment

impeachment

House of Representatives

Supreme Court

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Senate impeachment trial

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