Senate impeachment court allows prosecution to drop three charges against VP Duterte

MANILA — The Senate impeachment court formally accepted the House prosecution panel's motion to withdraw Articles I, III, and IV of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero confirmed the court's approval, allowing the proceedings to focus solely on Article II, which concerns the vice president's alleged unexplained wealth. "The court accepts and confirms the prosecution's manifestation… Articles I, III and IV from this point forward are hereby withdrawn," Escudero announced during the hearing. The decision narrows the scope of the historic impeachment trial, which began in May 2024. By consolidating the case around the single charge of unexplained wealth, the court reduced the number of issues the prosecution must prove. The move signals a strategic shift by House prosecutors, who had initially filed four separate articles against the vice president in their complaint to the Senate.