‘Strategic procedural pause’: Impeachment court suspends September 30 trial

Senator-judges listen to a manifestation by prosecution counsel Gerville Luistro during Day 30 of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on September 28, 2026.

Senate Social Media Unit

Impeachment court Reginald Tongol explains the suspension was due to the trial being 'aggressively ahead of schedule'

MANILA, Philippines– The Senate impeachment court has suspended the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte slated for Wednesday, September 30.

The Senate Clerk of Court announced this in a notice dated September 29, and also said that the trial will resume on Thursday, October 1, at 10 am. 

Impeachment court spokesperson Reginald Tongol said the postponement was not due to delays, but because the trial was “aggressively ahead of schedule.”

“Tomorrow is a deliberate Strategic Procedural Pause designed to clear the floor so both panels can prepare for the grueling, whole-day marathon sessions running continuously from October 1 to 15,” Tongol said in a press statement.

“This pause gives all parties the critical breathing room needed to digest the highly technical, voluminous financial records incoming from the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Registers of Deeds starting this Thursday,” he said.

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is also expected to be presented as prosecution witness on October 1, the first implementation of the whole-day trial. – Rappler.com