Impeachment court bars reuse of evidence across Duterte charges

The Senate impeachment court has rejected a move to repurpose evidence presented in the initial article of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte for use in separate charges, according to an order released Friday.

The court's November 5 ruling specifically excludes thousands of documents that were submitted as part of the first set of allegations—charges that the House prosecution panel has since abandoned. The decision marks a significant procedural development in the ongoing impeachment proceedings against the Vice President.

The ruling underscores the court's adherence to strict evidentiary rules in the impeachment process, preventing prosecutors from applying evidence from dropped charges to bolster remaining allegations. Each article of impeachment must stand on its own evidentiary foundation under the court's interpretation of impeachment procedures.

The development comes as the impeachment case against Duterte continues through the Senate, with the prosecution presenting multiple articles of charges. Legal observers note the decision could constrain the prosecution's strategy in presenting its case to the impeachment court.