Camille Naredo

The Senate of the Philippines convene as an impeachment court on its second day of the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

The Senate of the Philippines convene as an impeachment court on its second day of the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. House prosecutors presented National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Senior Agent John Mark Calilong, who had conducted a forensic examination of a video of Vice President Sara Duterte uttering death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez on November 23, 2024.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Impeachment

Carmelle Lacuata

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178350784156420260707-senate-vp-sara-impeachment-day2-MT19.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="The Senate of the Philippines convene as an impeachment court on its second day of the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/>The Senate of the Philippines convene as an impeachment court on its second day of the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — The Senate impeachment court is still on schedule despite changes during the third day of the trial.Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Reginald Tongol said impeachment court is still following its original timeline, despite the shorter trial on Wednesday.“Kung madagdagan ba ‘yung araw o mababawasan ba, depende po ‘yan sa parties…Hindi po inaasahan natin na ganun ang mangyayari, na mapapaikli ‘yung araw natin today,” he said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/escudero-warns-prosecution-defense-against-making-concluding-remarks-1442">READ: Escudero warns prosecution, defense against making &#x27;concluding remarks&#x27;</a></div>He was referring to the House prosecution panel’s decision to present NBI Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc on Monday instead of presenting him on Wednesday.According to Tongol, the request was granted likely because the trial may be extended if Lotoc testified in court as scheduled.“The impeachment court and the senator judges were ready to hear the testimony of the House prosecution witness. However, pinagbigyan na lang rin ‘yung deferral na ‘yun ng pagpiprisinta. Siguro dahil na rin nakita na rin na baka mahaba rin ‘yung magiging testimonya niya, and kung kahapon ‘yung magiging basehan natin ng pagtestify ng isang witness tungkol sa authentication step by step, baka abutin din ulit yun ng two to three hours,” Tongol explained.“So yung yung mga kailangan balansehin ng korte sa kanyang pagdedesisyon kung iga-grant niya o idedeny niya ‘yung isang motion to defer the presentation of a witness to some other date or time,” he added.For Tongol, the 10 minutes allotted each to both the defense and the prosecution for oral arguments is enough to tackle the prosecutors’ request to subpoena the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband, and businesses allegedly connected to them.The presiding officer ordered the submission of memoranda on the matter by Monday with the arguments scheduled on Wednesday, according to Tongol.Tongol explained that only the most important parts of their memorandum will be mentioned during the oral arguments.Tongol also assured that the trial is still on schedule, adding that the court would look for ways to finish everything on time once all parties &quot;get the hang of things.&quot;“Kung sa court calendar natin, parte ng kapangyarihan ng isang korte na i-manage yung kanyang schedule at saka yung process ng pagpe-presinta, so hahanap at hahanap naman ang korte, at siyempre tatanungin niya rin yung parties in the next coming weeks kung sino ba yung mga witnesses na pwedeng pagsabayin na, dalawa, tatlo sa isang araw para makahabol tayo doon sa timeline na sinasabi,” he explained.“Kanina sinabi rin ni Presiding Officer, itong first two to three days, we’re just trying to get the hang of things, in a manner of speaking, kaya tinitingnan pa natin yung pace ng bawat party, ng bawat abogado, pati ng mga senator-judges, and maybe next week, in the coming weeks, mas madali na nating mafi-figure out kung paano ile-lay down yung terms of engagement nung pagpi-presenta ng mga testimonya,” Tongol added.Tongol likewise reiterated that there was no time wasted despite the changes in the schedule since it can still be adjusted as needed.“Hindi naman po nasayang ‘yung oras ng korte kasi nga sabi ko nga po sa inyo, nangangapa pa po tayong lahat, at tinitingnan pa po ng korte kung ito ba ay rasonable o hindi rasonable ‘yung pagka-defer. Siguro ngayon, para medyo masanay muna tayo na mahabahaba yung mga usapin sa floor, medyo pinayagan muna siguro muna tayo ng Presiding Officer, na okay lang ‘wag na muna ngayon si NBI agent Lotoc at next week na lang,” he said.“I’m sure hahanap at hahanap naman ng paraan ang lahat ng partido ng chance para mapabilis ‘yan,” he added.The Senate trial court is tackling the fourth article of impeachment, which accuses the vice president of arranging an assassination plot against Marcos Jr. and his family, grave threats, and inciting sedition.Calilung is set to <a class="fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/impeachment-day-3-defense-to-strike-back-during-cross-examination-0930">undergo questioning by the defense</a> on its third day.The prosecution was set to present Lotoc on Wednesday but deferred his appearance to Monday.Senator-judge Bam Aquino also appealed to the defense and prosecution teams in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to allow a proceeding that will &quot;go straight to the point&quot; following multiple objections normally seen in court hearings.Aquino, during the conclusion of Wednesday&#x27;s trial, noted that the court already used around nine hours only for the first witness, John Mark Calilung, a senior agent of the National Bureau of Investigation who authenticated and investigated the video where Duterte allegedly issued grave threats.The senator&#x27;s remark came after the clashes and multiple objections raised by defense counsel Carlo Joaquin Narvasa and private prosecutor Amando Virgil Ligutan during the second and third day of the trial. -- with a report from Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News<div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/bam-aquino-appeals-to-defense-prosecution-let-s-go-straight-to-the-point-1745">Bam Aquino appeals to defense, prosecution: Let&#x27;s go straight to the point</a></div><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/live-updates-vice-president-sara-duterte-s-impeachment-trial-day-3-1315">LIVE UPDATES: Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s Impeachment Trial (Day 3)</a></div>

The Senate impeachment court is still on schedule despite changes during the third day of the trial.

The Senate impeachment court is still on schedule despite changes during the third day of the trial.

Despite changes in schedule, impeachment court still following original timeline: spokesperson

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Despite changes in schedule, impeachment court still following original timeline: spokesperson

Rose Carmelle Lacuata,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2026 06:56 PM PHT

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Updated July 08, 2026 08:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Senate

Sara Duterte

impeachment trial

Reginald Tongol

Duterte impeachment

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