The Senate Impeachment Court is considering revisions to the timeline for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial to balance the proceedings with the upper chamber’s legislative priorities.
Spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol stated that the tribunal has reviewed the Senate Committee on Finance’s schedule to help Senate President Win Gatchalian and Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero map out future hearing dates.
“The impeachment court is actually finalizing kung ano po yung actual na changes if ever may mangyari po,” Tongol said.
Several scheduling options are currently under consideration, including moving all trial sessions exclusively to the afternoon, extending trial days under the current setup, or adopting a hybrid structure with alternating morning and afternoon sessions.
“So puwede pong mangyari malipat po sa hapon, totally yung hearing, mag-stay po [sa day], o kaya naman po mix po. May mga araw po na umaga, may mga araw naman po na hapon,” he explained.
Tongol emphasized that these proposed modifications aim to maximize available hearing dates while allowing senator-judges to attend to their legislative responsibilities, keeping the trial on track for its target conclusion in December.
Official updates regarding the revised timetable may be announced as early as Wednesday.
The potential calendar adjustments come after former Surigao del Norte 2nd District Representative Robert Ace Barbers, an adviser to the prosecution panel, recommended extending daily hearing hours or adding extra trial days to expedite the proceedings.