Jamaine Punzalan

Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate on the second day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP Sara Impeachment

David Dizon

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/17834776644091783477658281.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate on the second day of the impeachment trial on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte could be invited as a hostile witness by the prosecution in her own <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial">impeachment trial</a>, which carries several risks, law experts said Wednesday.</p><p>Duterte appeared in the Senate on Tuesday but did not answer questions, simply telling reporters: &quot;In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.&quot; She then met with her lawyers but left before the impeachment trial started at 2 p.m.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/duterte-security-team-at-senate-no-confirmation-if-vp-to-attend-trial-1127">Duterte says she will be &#x27;bloodied but unbowed&#x27; as impeachment trial enters Day 2</a></div><p>Atty. Jose Roy III, a former defense lawyer of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona, said Duterte’s visit to the Senate came as a surprise, noting that she could have simply called her lawyers for a quick update.</p><p>“That gives you an insight na sila at mga depensa, meron talaga silang hinandang plano. Sila ay nag-uugnayan closely… Siguro tine-test nila ‘yung environment, magkakaproblema ba kung dumating siya? Ano ang reaksyon ng mga tao, etc,” he said. </p><p>He noted, however, that it would be wise for Duterte to show up at her impeachment trial at a later point.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/no-new-marching-orders-from-vp-duterte-says-legal-counsel-2140">No new marching orders from VP Duterte, says legal counsel</a></div><p>Atty. Noel del Prado said Duterte’s visit to the Senate building could be her answer to criticism that she had not faced the impeachment charges head-on. She also noted Duterte’s one-sentence declaration struck a defiant tone.</p><p>Atty. Mel Sta Maria, former dean of the Far Eastern University Institute of Law, said Duterte as a hostile witness would allow the prosecution to ask leading questions, which they cannot do during direct examination.</p><p>More importantly, he said, Atty. Lorna Kapunan’s remarks on a possible subpoena for Duterte is part of the prosecution’s narrative that the Vice President has never attended any of the hearings from Congress to the impeachment court.</p><p>“Mine-maintain ng prosecution ‘yung perception na si VP Sara eh hindi uma-attend ng hearing. Mula sa Kongreso hanggang dito, hindi siya uma-attend ng hearing. Kahit na samandali eh naipasok nila yung perception para sa taumbayan. ‘Yun ang political side, ika nga,” he said. </p><p>Kapunan, who serves as counsel for the prosecution, said Tuesday that the panel was<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/sara-duterte-impeachment-trial-prosecution-reserves-right-to-call-vp-as-witness-in-threat-case-1741"> reserving the right to call</a> the second-highest government official as a witness. </p><p>Atty. Domingo Cayosa, a constitutional law expert and former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, said Duterte as a witness carries risks.</p><p>For the prosecution, he said Duterte could simply invoke her right against self-incrimination.</p><p>For the defense, he said the risks are larger: “Pag witness mo yan at nagsalita siya at sumagot sa tanong mo, kahit hindi mo gusto ‘yung sagot niya, you [are] bound by that sagot.”</p><p>Kapunan earlier debunked news that the impeachment court had denied her request to subpoena Duterte after the court’s presiding officer, Sen. Francis Escudero, ruled that the request was premature.</p><p>“Of course, we will have to comment kagaya ng motion ko kanina na issuance of subpoena for the vice president because she was here. She was here, and if she can be here in the morning, why can&#x27;t she be here in the afternoon for the hearings? But it&#x27;s her right,” Kapunan said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/impeachment-day-3-defense-to-strike-back-during-cross-examination-0930">Impeachment Day 3: Defense to strike back during cross-examination </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/8/philippines-democracy-tested-by-duterte-impeachment-trial-1020">Philippines&#x27; democracy tested by Duterte impeachment trial </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/7/wrap-prosecution-presents-videos-nbi-agent-on-duterte-s-alleged-threats-vs-marcos-2126">WRAP: Prosecution presents videos, NBI agent on Duterte’s alleged threats vs. Marcos </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/5rXmeKqa7X4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></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/3YYS_-A8qok?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></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/oY1iqnA5vYE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte could be invited as a hostile witness by the prosecution in her own impeachment trial, which carries several risks, law experts said Wednesday.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte could be invited as a hostile witness by the prosecution in her own impeachment trial, which carries several risks, law experts said Wednesday.

Sara Duterte as hostile witness? Law experts react

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Sara Duterte as hostile witness? Law experts react

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2026 10:54 AM PHT

Read More:

sara duterte

impeachment trial

hostile witness

domingo cayosa

judd roy

mel sta maria

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