ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 12 highlights

MANILA, Philippines – The week’s defining development came on Day 29, September 23, when the Senate impeachment court voted 13 to 1 to overturn Presiding Officer Francis Escudero’s original ruling that 16 votes were required to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, deciding instead that the two-thirds constitutional threshold would be computed only from senator-judges legally and factually capable of participating in the trial.

With four senators currently excluded, the new denominator of 20 yielded a minimum conviction figure of 14, which Escudero set at that number rather than 13 because 14 exceeds two-thirds while 13 would fall below it. 

READ: ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 11 highlights

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Six senator-judges, including Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Sens. Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, Christopher Go, Camille Villar, and Robin Padilla, boycotted the voting proper, while Escudero cast the sole dissenting vote but said he would enforce the ruling as the court’s new controlling judgment. 

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Day 27, 28 ( Sept. 21-22 2026)

• The week opened on Days 27 and 28 with SEC Company Registration and Monitoring Department Director Gerardo del Rosario testifying that the SEC had received no document showing Duterte had divested her business interests, and that her continued membership on corporate compensation committees from 2024 to 2025 could constitute a possible violation of Article VII, Section 13 of the Constitution.  
• An SEC witness also told the court that most corporations linked to Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, reported losses and no dividend payouts, while her declared wealth rose sharply, raising questions about the source of the increase. 
• Prosecutors noted a discrepancy between Duterte’s SALN declaration of an interest in Gencorp Industries Inc. and corporate records showing she was not listed as a shareholder, with Tolosa saying the defense would have to explain the apparent gap. 
• Outside the court, detained Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said he no longer intends to participate in the impeachment proceedings, including deliberations and voting, citing constitutional concerns and his opposition to Escudero’s designation as presiding officer.

READ: Highlights: Day 27 of Sara Duterte impeachment tiral | Sept. 21, 2026

READ: Highlights: Day 28 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Sept. 22, 2026

Day 29 ( Sept. 23, 2026)

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• On Day 29 of the trial, the Senate impeachment court voted 13-1 to overturn the ruling that 16 votes were needed to convict. The court instead adopted a formula based on senator-judges legally and factually capable of participating in the trial.
• With four senators excluded, the new denominator became 20. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero cast the lone dissenting vote. Six senator-judges, including Alan Peter Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Pia Cayetano, Christopher Go, Camille Villar and Robin Padilla, did not participate in the voting. Escudero said he would enforce the new ruling despite his dissent, making it the controlling judgment of the impeachment court.

READ: Highlights: Day 29 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Sept. 23, 2026

Editor’s note: This update was generated with the aid of artificial intelligence based on Inquirer.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Cebu Daily News articles and reviewed by a human editor.