By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — The Senate impeachment court is racing against time to ensure the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte begins as scheduled on July 6, with court officials warning that delays in the pre-trial process are narrowing the window for preparations.
Senate impeachment court Secretary Renato Bantug said the trial timetable remains achievable despite mounting pressure caused by the prolonged marking of documentary evidence, which has already stretched the pre-trial conference into its fourth day.
“July 6 as the start of the trial proper is still possible. It is tight, but not impossible,” Bantug said, acknowledging the heavy workload facing both the court and its staff.
Bantug emphasized that the House prosecution panel and the Vice President’s defense team must complete the marking of evidence no later than Thursday to allow the court sufficient time to issue the pre-trial order by Monday or Tuesday next week.
Failure to meet that deadline, he warned, could disrupt the impeachment calendar previously approved by the Senate impeachment court.
“Even if we finish tomorrow, we may not be able to immediately release the pre-trial order because that is also part of the approved schedule,” Bantug explained.
Once the pre-trial order is issued, both parties will have three days to submit their comments before the court proceeds with the trial proper.
The pace of the pre-trial proceedings has been slowed by the enormous volume of evidence presented by both sides. Bantug noted that Article I of the impeachment complaint alone contains around 4,000 documentary exhibits.
The prosecution and defense are currently completing the marking of evidence for Article I, which accuses Duterte of allegedly misusing confidential and intelligence funds, and Article II, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth.
Despite the logistical challenges, Senate officials remain optimistic that the impeachment court can still adhere to its original schedule, provided both parties complete the remaining pre-trial requirements within the week.
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