Prosecution backs extended hours, Friday sessions for Duterte impeachment trial

MANILA — The prosecution panel handling Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial indicated flexibility on scheduling matters during a Wednesday press briefing, expressing openness to extending daily proceedings and potentially dedicating Fridays to hearings.

Counsel for the prosecution team stated they would consider shifting the start time of proceedings to afternoon hours to accommodate longer sessions, addressing what has been a protracted schedule in the trial's initial phases.

The proposal to utilize Fridays for full hearing days represents another effort to streamline the impeachment process, which centers on allegations that prompted the Vice President's removal as education secretary and concurrent resignation from her running mate position for the 2028 elections.

The flexibility demonstrated by prosecutors suggests movement toward expediting the high-profile trial, which has commanded significant public and political attention since its commencement. Any scheduling modifications would require approval from the impeachment court presiding over the case.

The development comes as both the prosecution and defense teams continue presenting their respective arguments before the Senate-based tribunal handling the impeachment proceedings against the country's second-highest official.