The Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could extend until February 2027 if proceedings adhere strictly to the maximum schedule and both sides exhaust their allocated trial days, according to Senate impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol.
The tribunal’s pretrial order originally designated 92 trial days for the House prosecution panel and Duterte’s legal defense to submit their evidence and examine witnesses.
“Based sa projection ng ating impeachment court, kung tuloy-tuloy yung hiningi ng 90 days nila at walang mga testigo… or walang mga articles na i-forgo, tuloy-tuloy tayo hanggang mga around February (2027). Yan yung 90th day when we plot it kung ilang days per week,” Tongol said during a radio interview on Saturday.
Tongol noted that both legal teams are actively working to streamline the process to prevent redundant or unnecessary testimony.
“The impeachment court and both parties are doing their best to really tighten [the schedule]. Sabi nga nila, kung mapo-prove na nila yung ebidensya or facts na gusto nila i-prove, hindi na nila ipepresenta yung mga nilista nilang witnesses,” he explained.
Signaling an effort to compress the timeline, the prosecution previously dropped plans to call eight individuals to the stand, including the Vice President’s chief of staff, Atty. Zuleika Lopez, and House Legislative Security Bureau chief Belinda Bello.
With the Senate back in regular legislative session, the impeachment court will conduct hearings three days a week—Monday through Wednesday—from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tongol emphasized that the proceedings could end much earlier if the legal teams streamline their strategy further.
“Let us wait and see kung ilan pa sa mga witnesses yung ma-drop nila na mga corroborative lang naman at ilan din if ever na they will drop the articles of impeachment,” he added.