Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

Allison Co

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/1787730775810HQnf8ydasAA0i6c (5).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Trial presiding officer Francis Escudero on Wednesday told the defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to remind its client to avoid a public discussion of the merits of the case.<em> Joseph Vidal, Senate Social Media Unit &amp; Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Trial presiding officer Francis Escudero on Wednesday told the defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to remind its client to avoid a public discussion of the merits of the case.</p><p>Escudero issued the remark as the prosecution team raised before the Senate court that the vice president released a statement regarding her impeachment case just as the presiding officer was making a ruling on the matter.</p><p>Duterte <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/vp-sara-prove-impeachment-case-with-evidence-not-insults-1045">had said</a> that impeachment prosecutors should prove the case against her using evidence and &quot;not insults, speculation or political theatrics.&quot;</p><p>Lead House prosecutor Gerville Luistro pointed out that Duterte&#x27;s remark was released &quot;almost simultaneously&quot; to Escudero&#x27;s reading of his ruling on the issue of sub judice rule, which bars court participants from discussing the merits of an ongoing case.</p><p>Escudero said Duterte &quot;clearly is covered&quot; by the decision, and although her statement &quot;was done while the ruling was being issued, prospectively would still apply.&quot;</p><p>&quot;The presiding officer would like to remind through the lead counsel for the respondent her client to kindly observe the ruling of the presiding officer as well as the rules of the impeachment court, specifically Rule 18,&quot; which touches on the sub judice rule, he said. </p><p>Escudero earlier in the day&#x27;s proceeding warned participants in the trial, namely the parties, senator-judges, and respondent Duterte, that the court would <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/26/impeachment-court-to-strictly-enforce-sub-judice-rule-vs-trial-by-publicity-1103">strictly enforce the sub judice rule</a>.</p><div><strong>‘LITMUS TEST’ </strong></div><p>Hours earlier, House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Jay Khonghun said the Vice President’s latest statement should also be covered by the sub judice ruling.</p><p>“Tingin ko saklaw na ng panibagong utos ng korte yung statement ng ating bise presidente. So magiging litmus test yan kung paano ipapatupad ng impeachment court yung kanilang kautusan,” he said.</p><p>House trial adviser Ace Barbers added, “May mga pananalita doon na nababanggit about wala namang shred of evidence daw pinipresenta ng prosecution so effectively, para sa amin ito ay isang pag-uusap tungkol sa merito ng kaso.” </p><p>Khonghun pointed out that the Vice President was not present at the trial but was still discussing the merits of the case against her.</p><p>“Wala siya rito, hindi nga siya makasipot dito tapos dini-discuss pa niya yung merito ng kaso kung saan siya yung nasasakdal,” Khonghun said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><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/naBJuKOv_ME?&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/INvs1ZHNFLc?&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/JVnASowgDxY?&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/Bhq-riKhfRI?&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/xYB9a73TLZk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Trial presiding officer Francis Escudero on Wednesday told the defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to remind its client to avoid a public discussion of the merits of the case.</p>

Trial presiding officer Francis Escudero on Wednesday told the defense team in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte to remind its client to avoid a public discussion of the merits of the case.

Escudero asks defense to remind VP Sara Duterte of sub judice rule

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Escudero asks defense to remind VP Sara Duterte of sub judice rule

Rowegie Abanto,

Allison Co,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 26, 2026 04:01 PM PHT

|

Updated August 26, 2026 04:36 PM PHT

Read More:

Sara Duterte

Impeachment

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