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Prosecution shifts strategy in Duterte impeachment trial Week 10

The House prosecution team made a dramatic strategic shift in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, abandoning 15 witnesses and signaling plans to call the Vice President herself to testify. The Senate court also tackled a crucial procedural question regarding the vote threshold needed for conviction.

LSN Philippines · 13 September 2026

MANILA – The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte entered a new phase during Week 10 proceedings when the House prosecution team announced it would drop 15 Article I witnesses, marking a significant turn in the case's direction.

The prosecution's decision to streamline its witness list came as the team indicated it plans to call Duterte herself as a witness, a potentially pivotal development that could reshape the trial's trajectory. The move signals the prosecution may be adjusting its legal strategy as the case progresses through the Senate impeachment court.

Simultaneously, the Senate court moved to resolve a fundamental procedural matter that has remained unresolved: the number of votes required to secure a conviction in the impeachment case. This threshold determination carries significant implications for the trial's outcome.

The developments represent a critical juncture in what has been a protracted legal proceeding against the Vice President. The prosecution's strategic adjustments suggest the case may be entering a more focused phase as it advances through the Senate deliberations.