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February 28, 2025 | 6:30pm
MANILA, Philippines — If Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial is delayed until July, witnesses could withdraw and evidence might be tampered with, a House prosecutor warned.
Rep. Joel Chua (Manila, 3rd District), one of the 11 appointed House prosecutors, said there is no guarantee that circumstances will remain unchanged as the House and Senate prepare for the trial.
The longer Congress delays the impeachment proceedings, he said the higher the risk of witnesses feeling discouraged, backing out due to security concerns.
“Kaya kami hangga't maaari mas maganda masimulan na, nang sa ganun matapos na rin yung anxiety, at yung fear at uncertainty ng mga testigo namin,” he added.
(That's why, as much as possible, we prefer to start soon so we can put an end to the anxiety, fear, and uncertainty of our witnesses.)
Chua also said the prosecution panel is discussing whether to formally appeal to the Senate for an earlier trial date.
Timeline tensions. Chua said, however, that they respect whatever decision Senate President Chiz Escudero makes while exhausting all means to protect the integrity of witnesses and evidence.
“Well, siyempre, nirerespeto po natin ‘yung ating Senate President but kami naman po kasi kaya namin gusto na itong impeachment ay masimulan na dahil alam din ninyo tinitingnan din po namin ‘yung mga ebidensya na nakalap namin ay ‘yung tampering of evidence, isa po ‘yan,” Chua said.
(Well, of course, we respect our Senate President, but we want the impeachment trial to start as soon as possible because we are also concerned about the evidence we have gathered and the risk of tampering.)
Escudero released on Thursday, February 27, the tentative schedule for the impeachment proceedings, including the preparations leading up to them.
He said the Senate is expected to convene as an impeachment court by June 3, with the trial set to begin on July 30.
This means pre-trial proceedings will take place under the current Congress, while newly elected senators will serve as senator-judges after the 2025 midterm elections.
RELATED: Senate outlines schedule of VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial
Five months 'til trial
For Chua, the campaign period of the 2025 midterm elections is not enough reason for the impeachment trial to take place at a much later date.
“Kami rin po meron din kaming mga kampanya na tinutugunan sa kanya-kanyang distrito pero at the end of the day, we have to do our job as mandated by the Constitution,” Chua said.
(We also have our own campaigns to attend to in our respective districts, but at the end of the day, we have to fulfill our duty as mandated by the Constitution.)
Rep. Jil Bongalon (Ako Bicol Party-list) said on Thursday, February 27, that he believes the trial could be completed in two to three months — well within the 19th Congress — if it begins as early as March. He is also one of the 11 appointed prosecutors.
While former Chief Justice Renato Corona’s impeachment trial was not held during Congress' month-long Christmas break, this year’s recess will last about four months, pushing the trial to nearly six months after the articles of impeachment were transmitted to the Senate.
Aside from the Constitutional provision stating that the trial must happen “forthwith,” this has been another reason why there are growing calls for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to call a special session for the Senate to convene as a court.
However, Marcos already said he would only do so if the Senate requested one.
Legal challenges. The Supreme Court has received multiple petitions — one urging an immediate trial and others, including one from Duterte herself, seeking to halt the proceedings by challenging the legality of her impeachment.
Duterte was impeached on February 5 for alleged betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption and other high crimes. The accusations center on her offices' use of confidential and intelligence funds, as well as the death threats she made against Marcos and his family.
