Withdrawal of impeach charges denied Sara Duterte a chance to clear her name — spox

Vice President Sara Duterte arrives at the Senate in Pasay City on July 7, 2026 to meet with members of her defense team ahead of the continuation of her impeachment trial.

The Philippine STAR / Ryan Baldemor

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte was deprived of the opportunity to refute the allegations against her in the Senate impeachment court after prosecutors withdrew three of the four articles of impeachment, her spokesperson said.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday, October 14, Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr. described the withdrawal as an injustice, arguing that it prevented the vice president from presenting evidence in her defense and obtaining an acquittal on the charges.

“The withdrawal is an admission that the allegations lacked basis from the very beginning,” Panelo said.

“Yet, it is also an injustice and a denial of due process because it deprives the Vice President of the opportunity to confront these charges and present countervailing evidence in the proper forum, which is the Senate Impeachment Court,” he added.

Panelo said Duterte was also deprived of the opportunity to obtain an acquittal based on the evidence and the law.

“More than that, it deprived her of the vindication of the acquittal she deserves if the Court ruled only on the basis of evidence and law,” he said.

The spokesperson also questioned the public funds spent on the withdrawn charges, estimating that the total cost of the proceedings could exceed P1 billion.

He claimed the Senate spent around P500 million in operating costs on the alleged misuse of confidential funds and grave threats charges alone, excluding lawmakers’ salaries and other expenses. He did not provide a detailed breakdown to support his estimate.

Panelo further questioned whether political considerations ahead of the 2028 elections influenced the prosecution’s decision to withdraw the articles.

The House prosecution panel, meanwhile, said it would focus on Article II, which concerns Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth, failure to fully declare her assets and failure to divest from business interests.

Lead prosecutor Rep. Jinky Luistro described the decision to pursue only one article as the “most judicious course,” citing the need to narrow the case and expedite the proceedings.

The court ruled that Articles I and IV were withdrawn with prejudice, meaning they cannot be revived against Duterte in an impeachment trial during her current term. Article III, which concerns bribery, was withdrawn without prejudice because prosecutors had not yet presented evidence on it.

The court also lifted restrictions on public discussion of the withdrawn articles, allowing both the prosecution and the defense to address the allegations outside the trial.

Duterte’s defense team objected to the ruling, arguing that the vice president would no longer be able to present evidence in court to rebut the withdrawn charges.

The impeachment court has set November 9 as the start of Duterte’s presentation of evidence on the remaining article.