Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Defense counsel Kristine Ferrer before the Senate impeachment court. ABS-CBN News

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Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786261113754HO75LF0a0AAsnJk.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Defense counsel Atty. Kristine Ferrer before the Senate impeachment court. ABS-CBN News"/>Defense counsel Atty. Kristine Ferrer before the Senate impeachment court. ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — The deputy spokesperson of the defense panel Atty. Justin Gular explained the seeming &#x27;delay&#x27; in the stipulation of documents in the impeachment trial, which they wanted scheduled on August 14.Gular said on DZMM Teleradyo on Sunday that the defense team is already spread thin with just 16 members and that &quot;it&#x27;s only a matter of availability of our lawyers.&quot;The deputy spokesperson said they have already adjusted their schedules and the earliest they could accommodate the stipulation of documents would be the 14th.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/8/defense-s-refusal-to-stipulate-documents-may-delay-impeachment-proceedings-tolosa-1135">Defense’s refusal to stipulate documents may delay impeachment proceedings—Tolosa</a></div>Stipulation is the comparison and agreement of both parties to documents to be used as evidence in trial. Comparison of documents took so much time during the trial proper.Gular said the testimony of the Commission on Audit auditor Xylene Del Campo will not be hampered by the schedule of the stipulation of documents.&quot;We understand people will always have their aspersions, [comments, and perceptions]]and, really, we respect that,&quot; Gular said when asked for comment that the proposed date is a delaying tactic for the defense.&quot;This is not delay. Ganito po talaga ang sistema natin sa trial (This is really how it is done at trial),&quot; Gular added.He explained that stipulation includes identification and authentication of documents that normally take time especially when the volume of evidence is huge. &quot;The defense has all the right to be prudent and careful,&quot; he said, since parties are bound by the stipulations.&quot;You can no longer contest the authenticity of that document,&quot; he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/4/defense-highlights-legitimacy-of-confidential-funds-for-duterte-s-offices-1700">Defense highlights legitimacy of confidential funds for Duterte&#x27;s offices</a></div>Meanwhile, counsel to the prosecutors Atty. Jay Tolosa questioned this move, saying this should have been done during the pre-trial.&quot;For some reason, they refused to even compare the documents with ours,&quot; Tolosa told DZMM Teleradyo.He said the prosecution had reached out to the defense to get it done before Monday.Tolosa noted that the trial had to go on break for hours just to compare the documents, which he said led to some senator-judge losing patience during trial.&quot;We were trying to avoid this,&quot; he added. Tolosa said they will clarify the matter with presiding officer Sen. Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero to let him know the prosecution is not the cause of the supposed delay.

The deputy spokesperson of the defense panel Atty. Justin Gular explained the seeming 'delay' in the stipulation of documents in the impeachment trial, which they wanted scheduled on August 14.

The deputy spokesperson of the defense panel Atty. Justin Gular explained the seeming 'delay' in the stipulation of documents in the impeachment trial, which they wanted scheduled on August 14.

Defense panel explains 'delay' in stipulation of impeachment documents

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Defense panel explains 'delay' in stipulation of impeachment documents

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 09, 2026 03:48 PM PHT

Read More:

Impeachment

Stipulation

Document

Sara Duterte

Defense

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