Camille Naredo

Senator-judges and members of both the prosecution and defense teams arrive at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City for the 19th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Date:   August 26, 2026
Location:  Pasay City
Photographer:  Maria Tabn, ABS-CBN News
Senator-judges and members of both the prosecution and defense teams arrive at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City for the 19th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

VP Sara Impeachment

Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178775051018620260826-senate-vp-sara-impeachment-day19-MT2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><p>MANILA — Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team feels a “sense of urgency” to find a new spokesperson after the Senate impeachment court ruled that it would enforce a stricter implementation of the sub judice rule, current defense spokesperson Michael Poa said on Wednesday.</p><p>Poa — who currently serves as both defense counsel and spokesperson — said that he does “not want to risk” violating the rule that bars parties to the trial from discussing merits of the case outside the court.</p><p>“I think there&#x27;s a sense of urgency on my part to have someone speak for the team,” he told reporters in a press conference after the 19th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial.</p><p>“It hasn&#x27;t been easy for me to also navigate yung ano ba yung merits na ano yung hindi. I&#x27;m sure at one point, nagkamali din ako siguro in the past and I&#x27;m sure in the future, maraming pagkakataon na baka madulas ako at may masagot ako na hindi dapat so I don&#x27;t want to risk that because that will also reflect badly on the team,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/what-senator-judges-lawyers-can-and-cannot-do-in-an-impeachment-court-1250">READ: What senator-judges, lawyers can and cannot do in an impeachment court</a></div><p>Under the ruling that the impeachment court released on August 26, those who will violate the rule on sub judice on the first offense will be admonished in court, while succeeding offenses would each warrant a P30,000 fine.</p><p>Lawyers who would violate the rule may also face complaints before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>QUALIFICATIONS FOR NEXT DEFENSE SPOKESPERSON</strong></div><p>The defense team had earlier discussed the issue with Duterte, with the Vice President preferring for Poa to stay on as defense counsel should there be a need for him to choose between his court and spokesperson duties.</p><p>“With the ruling now, I think I&#x27;ll have to have a discussion with her again,” Poa said.</p><p>The defense team’s new spokesperson should be able to explain complex court discussions to ordinary Filipinos, but does not necessarily need to be a lawyer, he said.</p><p>“Someone who can really explain the process well, someone who can laymanize the process para sa ating mga kababayan, and someone who will be consistent with whatever  the defense wants him or her to say sa media para hindi kumbaga naguguluhan ang taong bayan natin kung ano ba talaga yung posisyon ng depensa,” he said.</p><p>“Someone who can really communicate well, and when we say communicate well, it means someone who can laymanize this very technical process,” he said.</p><p>“It&#x27;s always easier to understand legal processes if you&#x27;re a lawyer, but that does not mean, we&#x27;re not trying to take anything away from non-lawyers kasi marami rin naman tayong non-lawyers na magaling rin mag-explain at mabilis makapick up so ayokong i-box in to just a lawyer.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PROSECUTION NEEDS MORE TIME TO STUDY RULING</strong></div><p>Meantime, the prosecution said they need more time to study the court’s stricter implementation of the sub judice rule.</p><p>“Of course we will respect the ruling of the presiding officer as to whether I&#x27;m going to stay as a spokesperson, that’s something that we will probably discuss later and decide as a team,” Atty. Benjamin Tolosa Jr. told reporters in a chance interview.</p><p>“Perhaps we need some clarification regarding the order because it sounded like an absolute prohibition to talk about things that may touch merits on the case,” he said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/escudero-asks-defense-to-remind-vp-sara-duterte-of-sub-judice-rule-1601">READ: Escudero asks defense to remind VP Sara Duterte of sub judice rule</a></div><p>The prosecution will “wait for the written copy of the order” to be clarified about a “clear exemption on that sub judice rule which is the doctrine of fair and accurate reporting,” Tolosa said.</p><p>“If you’re just quoting what was already said by the witness in open court and you talk about it publicly, that should not be a violation of the sub judice rule even if it touched on the merits because you are just relaying what has been said by the witness,” he said.</p><p>“We hope the impeachment court will not be even more strict than regular courts. Regular courts allow this exemption, the doctrine of fair and accurate reporting,” he said.</p><p>“We’re hoping that since this is a political and legal function that is being exercised by the impeachment court, it will be more liberal than regular courts in implementing the rules.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>DUTERTE’S RIGHTS</strong></div><p>The defense also needs time to discuss if some of the Vice President’s statement should also be considered as a violation of the sub judice rule, Poa said.</p><p>“Kunin ko rin yung panig niya (Duterte) kung ano ba yung dapat namin gawin moving forward,” she said.</p><p>“But again, she&#x27;s the vice president… Siguro naman ang isang bise presidente na sinasubject sa ganitong proceedings, mayroon rin karapatan to a certain degree, mailabas yung kanyang mga saloobin,” he said.</p><p>“As to whether that&#x27;s sub judice or not, perhaps that&#x27;s something that we can discuss further.”</p>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team feels a “sense of urgency” to find a new spokesperson after the Senate impeachment court ruled that it would enforce a stricter implementation of the sub judice rule, current defense spokesperson Michael Poa said on Wednesday.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team feels a “sense of urgency” to find a new spokesperson after the Senate impeachment court ruled that it would enforce a stricter implementation of the sub judice rule, current defense spokesperson Michael Poa said on Wednesday.

Defense sees ‘urgent’ need to hire new spox after impeachment court's stricter sub judice policing

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Defense sees ‘urgent’ need to hire new spox after impeachment court's stricter sub judice policing

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2026 09:37 PM PHT

|

Updated August 27, 2026 01:07 AM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte impeachment trial

Michael Poa

Benjamin Tolosa Jr.

sub judice

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