Senate remains committed to impartial, transparent VP Sara impeach trial – spox

The Senate expressed its renewed commitment to maintain transparency and impartiality in the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in light of continued public attentiveness on the constitutional proceedings, the court’s spokesperson said.

Atty. Reggie Tongol, the spokesperson of the Senate impeachment court, made the statement on Thursday, in light of the recent results of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey concerning the trial.

Tongol said that the tribunal took the findings as a “reflection of the highly engaged citizenry” when it comes to the historic democratic exercise.

Even with the public sentiments, the lawyer said that senator-judges participating in the trial were unswayed and remained bound to the oath that they took to render judgment based on evidence and the law.

“The Impeachment Court views these survey results with both quiet confidence in its even-handed procedure and a sober resolve to earn the trust of a cautious public,” his statement read.

Among the findings that the spokesman took note of was the trust rating that Filipinos provided on the forthcoming final verdict of the tribunal on the impeachment.

It noted that it was taking seriously the 32 percent of Filipinos who remain undecided in the trial, acknowledging that a third of the country was waiting before Duterte's defense lawyers presented their case before issuing a judgment.

Tongol also said that the result that 50 percent of Filipinos agreed that the impeachment court had the “right consideration for both sides” was an affirmation of the constitutional tribunal’s impartiality throughout its procedural course.

The lawyer also highlighted that there were 51 percent of Filipinos that would commit to the final verdict of the Senate with another 38 percent pushing for a ruling that was based on hard evidence.

The court’s presiding officer, on the other hand, Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero had also received a trust rating of 53.5 percent from the latest polls.

It is worth noting that the time that the survey was taken, between 21 to 27 September, was before the prosecution formally rested its presentation of evidence in the trial.

Tongol, meanwhile, said that the court was not intending to remain complacent in spite of the outcome and that it would be treating as a challenge the large number of people that remain skeptical and undecided on the proceedings.

“As the proceedings resume on November 9, 2026…the Senate Impeachment Court will continue to enforce the rules of evidence and accord full due process to both sides, ensuring that its final constitutional judgment commands the respect of the entire nation,” he concluded.

The lawyers of the Vice President are set to begin their presentation of counter evidence for Article II of the impeachment, concerning Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth.

The House Prosecution Panel previously decided to withdraw three out of its four impeachment articles in view of expediency and belief that their case on Article II was sufficient to secure a conviction.