MANILA, Philippines | House prosecutors on Tuesday, October 13, withdrew three of the four impeachment charges against Vice President Sara Duterte, narrowing the Senate trial to allegations of unexplained wealth in a move intended to speed up the proceedings.
The Senate impeachment court, through presiding officer Senate President Francis Escudero, accepted the withdrawal of the charges involving alleged misuse of confidential funds, bribery and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The remaining charge concerns alleged unexplained wealth, incomplete asset declarations and failure to divest from business interests.
Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro told the court that the prosecution believed the evidence already presented on the remaining charge was sufficient to warrant Duterte’s removal from office. The prosecution said focusing on one article would shorten the trial and reduce the need for additional witnesses and lengthy proceedings, according to the Philippine News Agency.
The decision significantly narrows the case, which has included allegations that Duterte misused confidential funds during her tenure as vice president and education secretary. Prosecutors also alleged that she accumulated wealth inconsistent with her declared assets and failed to disclose or divest from certain business interests. These remain allegations, not findings of guilt.
Duterte has denied wrongdoing and criticized the prosecution’s withdrawal of charges. According to GMA News, she said the move reinforced her position that the accusations lacked sufficient evidence. Her lead defense counsel, Sheila Sison, also questioned the fairness of allowing prosecutors to withdraw charges after presenting evidence while limiting the defense’s opportunity to rebut those allegations in court.
The impeachment court ruled that the defense would present evidence on the remaining unexplained-wealth charge. It also lifted restrictions on public discussion of the three withdrawn charges, allowing Duterte, her lawyers and the prosecution to address those allegations outside the courtroom.
The court’s ruling gives different legal consequences to the withdrawn articles. The confidential-funds and grave-threats charges were dropped with prejudice, meaning they cannot be brought again against Duterte in an impeachment trial during her current term. The bribery charge, which prosecutors withdrew before presenting evidence on it, may be refiled in the future, according to the court’s ruling as reported by Philstar.com.
The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in May 2026 after a political alliance between her family and Marcos’ camp deteriorated. The two ran as running mates in the 2022 elections but later became political rivals amid disputes over governance, public funds and accountability.
The impeachment trial carries significant consequences for Duterte’s political future. Under the Philippine Constitution, conviction by the Senate can result in removal from office and disqualification from holding public office, potentially affecting her reported plans to seek the presidency in 2028.
The trial will now focus on whether prosecutors can establish the remaining allegations of unexplained wealth and related disclosure violations. Duterte retains the right to defend herself, and the Senate impeachment court has yet to issue a final judgment.
DC Alviar
Professor DC Alviar is a tenured associate professor at National University (NU) Manila and a steering committee member of the Philippine International Studies Organization (PHISO). He has contributed to NU's community extension initiatives that introduced the five disciplines of a learning organization (Senge, 1990) to communities within a local government unit. He writes and edits local reports for Mega Scene. He graduated with Master of Development Communication (MDC) and Doctor of Communication (DComm) degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP) Open University in Los Baños and was awarded with a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) SIKAP grant. He previously served as editor-in-chief of The Adamson News and his high school publication Ang Ugat.
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
- DC Alviar
