Members of the House prosecution panel expressed strong optimism regarding the progress of the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, stating that the long-anticipated Senate trial is steadily moving ahead.
Representatives Gerville Luistro of Batangas’ 2nd District and Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur’s 1st District pointed to the smooth and orderly conduct of Thursday’s pre-trial conference on June 18 as a promising indicator for the upcoming legal battle.
Luistro, the lead prosecutor who also chairs the House Committee on Justice, confirmed that both the prosecution and defense have started marking documentary evidence tied to the Articles of Impeachment.
She noted that the timeline is firmly on track.
“And then ang maliwanag kahapon, ang start talaga ng trial is July 6 at magtutuloy-tuloy na ‘yan.”
The lead prosecutor also praised the impeachment court, her fellow prosecutors, and the defense panel for maintaining a cooperative stance during the preliminary meetings.
“Kaya we would like to commend the impeachment court, the prosecution team and even the defense team for taking as stance towards an expeditious proceedings towards this pre-trial para makaumpisa na tayo sa July 6 because after all, ito matagal nang hinihintay ang taong bayan.”
Adiong, who serves as a spokesperson for the prosecution and chairs the House Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, echoed Luistro’s sentiments following the closed-door conference at the Senate.
“Overall, maganda.”
He emphasized that the process has reached a critical milestone, providing assurance that the constitutional steps toward accountability are working effectively.
“We have finally come to a point na assured na tayo that the ball is rolling, ika nga. Tuloy-tuloy.”
“We are very happy that now, ‘yung tinatawag po nating accountability mechanism ng ating Constitution ay gumugulong na.”
Adiong also dismissed the minor arguments and objections raised during the conference, clarifying that such legal friction is typical during pre-trial preparations.
“I would not even call it tension kasi that’s expected, that’s expected and it’s a usual occurrence naman talaga in a pre-trial conference.”
Vice President Duterte was absent during Thursday’s pre-trial session.
According to Adiong, the prosecution is prepared to resume the pre-trial proceedings on Monday, June 22, to finalize guidelines before the formal trial begins.
The high-profile impeachment case stems from allegations that Duterte mismanaged ₱612.5 million in confidential funds across her offices. The complaint also cites discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), unexplained wealth, and severe allegations concerning death threats directed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez.
Duterte faced similar impeachment attempts on comparable grounds in 2025, though those complaints did not advance to a full Senate trial at the time.