Senator and presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero expressed optimism on Tuesday that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could conclude before the Christmas or New Year holidays, allowing the Senate to move past the proceedings ahead of 2027.
Despite voicing his personal preference for a swift resolution, Escudero clarified that the impeachment court is not bound by a strict schedule and that the timeline ultimately depends on the flow of the hearings and the evidence submitted by the defense.
“Sa akin mismo, kung ako ang tatanungin syempre in a perfect world, sana matapos ang impeachment sinuman ang matalo o manalo bago mag-Pasko, bago mag-New Year para may bago tayong yugto na namang haharapin sa bagong taon, hindi ‘yung babalikan na naman natin ito sa darating na bagong taon ng 2027,” Escudero said in an ambush interview.
“Whichever side prevails, sana ito ay malampasan at matapos natin ngayong taong ito para may bagong mga hamon at problema na naman tayong haharapin sa darating na taon,” he added.
The defense team is currently presenting evidence and witnesses addressing Article II of the impeachment complaint. This article accuses Vice President Duterte of unexplained wealth stemming from alleged failures to truthfully disclose assets in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), as well as failing to divest from businesses as mandated by constitutional provisions for the country’s top two executives.
The prosecution previously trimmed the original complaint by dropping three of the four impeachment articles, opting to anchor its entire case on Article II alone.