Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Sens. Robinhood Padilla and Imee Marcos at the seventh day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate on July 20, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784560493083750035857_1562681795596917_2005816979156825374_n.png.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Sens. Robinhood Padilla and Imee Marcos at the seventh day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate on July 20, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — The continuation of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday led to the issuance of subpoenas for Duterte’s financial records after the prosecution and defense fielded questions on the law as well as on the necessity and the propriety of issuing them.Spectators inside the session hall also saw subtle shows of support among senators in the same bloc.In a so far rare occasion of raised voices at the impeachment court, Sen. Erwin Tulfo called out Sen. Robin Padilla for using it as a forum to air issues unrelated to the trial.Padilla had taken the floor to dispute the Office of the Ombudsman’s remark that he had ignored an order to submit his counter-affidavit in relation to Sen. Ronald &quot;Bato&quot; dela Rosa’s escape from the Senate compound in May.The senator-judge did this in front of the impeachment court, much to Tulfo’s dismay. He said the trial proper should focus on Duterte and that senators can explain their own issues elsewhere.<div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/padilla-ombudsman-dela-rosa-escape-tulfo-1419">READ: Padilla denies snubbing Ombudsman order; Tulfo says impeachment court shouldn&#x27;t be used to &#x27;defend ourselves&#x27;</a></div>While Tulfo was talking, Padilla stood up and approached the podium, seemingly suppressing a smile.Eventually, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano defended Padilla, saying it was a matter that concerned the court’s integrity.Cayetano has, since the trial started, made references to the proceedings&#x27; alleged problems of credibility.He had also used the first half hour of the hearing last Thursday <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/16/wrap-speeches-slamming-sea-games-probe-nearly-upstage-oral-arguments-0016">to air his anger over a National Bureau of Investigation probe into the 2019 SEA Games</a>, calling it an attempt to intimidate him. Cayetano was chair of the organizing committee of the games.In defense of his insistence on arguing legal principles — he has pointed out that he and his sister Sen. Pia Cayetano are among the few lawyers at the Senate — he said he would listen to a senator with a background in medicine if the topic was about the medical field.Padilla was seen nodding in agreement to the minority senator’s statement.When the court took a brief break at 4 p.m., Sens. Vicente Sotto III, Francis Pangilinan, Raffy and Erwin Tulfo, and Panfilo Lacson of the majority bloc were seen having a discussion..Padilla remained in his seat on the other side of the court.It also took some time for some senator-judges to return from the break, with only 11 inside the session hall by 4:08 p.m.Before Escudero announced the ruling granting the request for subpoenas, Alan Cayetano spent more than 10 minutes sitting by the ledge separating the senator-judges from the gallery.Padilla briefly joined Cayetano there before both took the floor to say they disagreed with parts of Escudero&#x27;s decision.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/padilla-challenges-fellow-senators-to-open-bank-records-1949">READ: Padilla challenges fellow senators to open bank records</a> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/padilla-challenges-fellow-senators-to-open-bank-records-1949"> </a></div>Senators may also submit written manifestations on their position on the presiding officer&#x27;s ruling, Escudero said.

The continuation of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday led to the approval of subpoenas for Duterte’s financial records after hours of questions from senator-judges to both prosecutors and the defense.

The continuation of the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday led to the approval of subpoenas for Duterte’s financial records after hours of questions from senator-judges to both prosecutors and the defense.

Inside the session hall: Subtle shows of support among senators of the same bloc

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Inside the session hall: Subtle shows of support among senators of the same bloc

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 20, 2026 11:41 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Sara Duterte

impeachment trial

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