Escudero still hopes impeachment trial will end before Christmas, New Year

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Sen. Chiz Escudero on Tuesday expressed hope that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will conclude before Christmas or New Year.

“If I were to be asked, of course, in a perfect world, I hope the impeachment trial, whichever side wins or loses, will be concluded before Christmas or New Year,” Escudero told reporters in an interview at the Senate.

His reason: “So we can face a new chapter in the coming year, rather than having to revisit this again in 2027.”

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“Again, whichever side prevails, I hope we can overcome this and conclude it within this year so we can face new challenges and problems in the coming year,” he repeated.

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Asked regarding the timeline of the proceedings, Escudero said there is none.

He noted that the schedule released in October only covered the hearings until November.

According to Escudero, the duration of the trial depends on the evidence the defense will present and how long the hearings will take.

Only one defense witness was presented during Monday’s proceedings.

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Escudero expressed hope that the presentation of evidence will move forward faster in the coming days.

“It’s like diesel. When something is new, there is a beginning, and it usually starts slowly before gradually picking up speed, as we saw during the hearings when the prosecution was presenting its evidence,” he made a comparison.

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Meanwhile, the senator-judge likewise said the court can limit the presentation of witnesses or evidence if found irrelevant, citing the same grounds the court had used to limit the prosecution’s presentation. /apl