PASAY CITY, Philippines — A decision in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte may be handed down by December 16 should her defense team exhaust the entire 30-day period granted for their presentation, impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol announced on Friday, October 2.
Speaking at a media briefing, Tongol noted that the eventual schedule hinges on how much time the respondent’s legal team utilizes from their requested calendar.
“Ang tinitingnan po namin kung ikokonsume ng lahat po ng mga 30 days na hiningi ng depensa o ng respondent, yung kanyang lahat ng mga araw na yun, aabot po tayo ng mga around December 16, mga ganun po,” Tongol explained.
When asked to clarify if the decision could indeed fall on that date, Tongol affirmed the potential timeframe.
“Tama po. Okay. Yun po yung parang ika-30 days po nakakailanganin ng ating respondents,” he said.
This revised projection extends the expected conclusion of the trial past the initial target of November, depending on the progression of the proceedings and the defense’s use of its allotted days.
The trial is centered on allegations of unexplained wealth, discrepancies in Duterte’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs), and her failure to divest from private business holdings. Current sessions continue to review financial documents and hear witness testimonies.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court recently dismissed three separate petitions challenging the impeachment tribunal’s interpretation of the required two-thirds vote, leaving the Senate court’s September 23 ruling intact due to procedural flaws, including lack of legal standing and prematurity.