Sara Duterte impeachment trial Day 38: What to expect

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The Defense panel on Monday would proceed with the cross-examination of the last witness the House prosecution team has presented in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Once the trial resumes at 10 a.m., Atty. Alexander Cabrera, a financial forensic analyst and certified public accountant, is set to return to the witness stand for his cross-examination by defense counsel Kristine Ferrer.

Cabrera on Friday began his testimony regarding allegations on the unexplained wealth of the Vice President under Article II of the Articles of Impeachment.

He revealed findings that Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases Carpio, supposedly had P817.87 million in allegedly undeclared assets and income from 2022 to 2025.

Once the cross-examination of Cabrera finishes, the prosecution and the defense will be given time for the redirect and recross examinations, respectively.

Senator-judges will thereafter be given two minutes each for their interjections.

Bribery charge

Impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol said that presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero is also expected to act on or ask questions regarding the manifestation of the prosecution to drop Article III or the bribery charges in the trial of Duterte.

“Kung sinabi ni Cong. Chel Diokno that they will be resting for Article II and if they will also be dropping Article III, then ang susunod po diyan ay pag-uusapan nila ‘yung ano'ng nangyari sa Article I because they haven't rested on Article I,” Tongol explained in a press conference on Friday.

(If Cong. Chel Diokno said that they would be resting their case on Article II and dropping Article III, then the next step would be to discuss the status of Article I, since they haven't rested their case on it yet.)

“Remember po na magre-rest na po ‘yung lead prosecutor for Article I at that time. However, the presiding officer stopped them because baka possible i-consider the calling of additional witnesses, which is Col. Lachica and Col. Nolasco, I think. At hindi po nag-officially rest pa sila on Article I. Hintayin po natin ano ‘yung gagawin ng House prosecution panel as to that pending article na they haven't rested yet,” he added.

(To recall, the lead prosecutor was supposed to rest the case for Article I, but the presiding officer stopped them because of the possibility of calling additional witnesses — specifically Col. Lachica and Col. Nolasco, I believe. Thus, the prosecution did not officially rest their case on Article I. Let’s wait and see what the House prosecution panel decides regarding that pending Article.)

Article I of the impeachment case accuses Duterte of systematic misappropriation and irregular liquidation of confidential funds amounting to P500 million released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and P112.5 million released to the Department of Education (DepEd) during her tenure as Education Secretary. — BAP, GMA News