Prosecutors may drop bribery charge against VP Duterte to speed trial

Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro, the lead prosecutor in Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case, indicated Thursday that bribery charges may be withdrawn to accelerate trial proceedings. Speaking after a House committee hearing, Luistro suggested that dropping Article III—which contains allegations of bribery—would allow prosecutors to focus on other substantive issues before the court. The proposed strategy reflects an effort to streamline the trial while maintaining the prosecution's primary legal arguments against the Vice President. The bribery allegation has been one of the most contested elements of the impeachment complaint filed by House members. By narrowing the charges, prosecutors aim to move the case forward more swiftly without diminishing their overall case. Any decision to drop the bribery article would require consensus among prosecution members and potential approval by the House, which initiated the impeachment proceedings.