The Senate impeachment court has officially scheduled the pre-trial conference for the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, moving the case into its next phase and setting the stage for both sides to present evidence and witnesses.
House prosecution panel member and Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon disclosed on Tuesday that the court issued a Notice of Pre-Trial Conference dated June 9. The notice was signed by acting Senate President and Presiding Officer Win Gatchalian.
Under the order, both Vice President Duterte and the House prosecutors are required to appear before the impeachment court on June 18 at 9 a.m. at the Senator C.M. Recto Room in the Senate.
Ridon noted that the parties can appear in person or through their legal counsel. The conference will address vital pre-trial matters, including the simplification of issues, stipulation of facts, marking of evidence, witness listings, and the scheduling of trial dates to guarantee a fair and efficient process.
The impeachment court has mandated both camps to submit their respective pre-trial briefs on or before June 15.
According to the directive, these briefs must outline uncontested facts, proposed stipulations, key issues to be resolved, and a comprehensive list of currently available documents, exhibits, and witnesses.
Furthermore, any party wishing to reserve evidence or witnesses for a later date must disclose their identities, describe the physical or documentary evidence, and justify their presentation at least three days before introducing them to the court.
However, the notice permits the identities of certain witnesses to remain confidential for safety and security reasons until they are called to testify. These individuals must still be included in the total witness count and assigned specific trial dates.
To encourage open dialogue and successfully meet the goals of the pre-trial phase, the court ruled that the conference will be closed to the public and the press.
“The Pre-Trial Conference proceedings shall not be open to the media or public,” the notice stated.
The court also warned that a failure to submit the pre-trial brief on time or an unexcused absence from the conference could lead to a party waiving its right to present specific evidence or witnesses. In such cases, the court may issue a pre-trial order based only on the existing records.
Ridon emphasized that the June 18 conference will be vital in structuring the upcoming impeachment trial, mapping out contested matters, organizing evidence, and finalising the official timetable.