Senate impeachment court sets Sara Duterte trial from September through November

MANILA — The Senate impeachment court has mapped out a trial schedule for Vice President Sara Duterte spanning September through November, according to an announcement made Tuesday by Presiding Officer Senator Francis Escudero.

Escudero, who presides over the impeachment proceedings as a sitting senator-judge, disclosed the trial calendar during the court session. The extended timeline allows the upper chamber to conduct what is expected to be a comprehensive examination of the charges brought against the Vice President.

The three-month schedule follows the Senate's approval of new procedural arrangements governing both the impeachment trial and concurrent budget hearings. The staggered timeline is designed to accommodate the Senate's other legislative responsibilities while ensuring adequate time for the impeachment proceedings.

The Vice President's impeachment case marks a significant constitutional development in the Philippines, with the Senate operating as an impeachment court to hear and deliberate on the charges presented by the House of Representatives.