Impeachment court suspends proceedings over prosecution’s witness switch

MANILA, Philippines — The  impeachment court suspended proceedings Thursday morning as the defense panel objected to the prosecution’s request to present a forensic financial analyst ahead of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) witness originally scheduled to testify.

The prosecution through Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, sought to call forensic financial analyst lawyer Alexander Cabrera instead of a BIR representative as the presenting counsel, Erwin Matib, was reportedly unable to appear because of health reasons.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Oct. 8, 2026

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But defense lead counsel Sheila Sison opposed the switch, saying the defense had prepared for the BIR witness and received no advance notice that Cabrera would be presented.

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“We object to this switching at the last minute, in fact not even at the last minute, (but) today,” Sison told the court.

She also noted that Cabrera had not been subpoenaed and questioned whether the defense had been given enough time to prepare for his testimony.

Presiding Officer Francis Escudero said he is yielding to the appeal of Senator-judge Vicente Sotto III — that trial be suspended first instead of pushing with the prosecution’s direct examination of Cabrera.

“And then wala po bang posibilidad na mag-appeal sa inyong ruling na mag-suspend na lang tayo ngayong umaga at para, ‘ika nga ay hindi, borrowing the word of Atty. Sheila, is you would not look unfair.  So I would like to appeal to the ruling and if possible, of course it has higher precedence, I move to suspend the session,” he added.

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(And then is there no possibility that we appeal to your ruling that we just suspend this morning, and borrowing the word of Atty. Sheila, is is so that you would not look unfair.  So I would like to appeal to the ruling and if possible, of course it has higher precedence, I move to suspend the session.)

The court later agreed that the BIR witness would remain the first witness to be presented, followed by Cabrera and the prosecution’s other witnesses.

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Sison thanked Escudero for considering their stand.

READ: Prosec asks for switch in presentation of witness; defense objects

“We thank this court your Honor for considering our predicaments your Honor, thank you,” Sison said.

“Na-kumbinsi mo Atty. Sheila si Senator-judge Sotto eh,” Escudero noted.

(Attorney Sheila, you just convinced Senator-Judge Sotto, eh.)

Duterte is facing four articles of impeachment before the Senate Impeachment Court. The trial is currently focused on Article II, which accuses her of having unexplained wealth and failing to disclose these assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).

The prosecution has shifted to evidence involving Duterte’s bank accounts after Anti-Money Laundering Council Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified that the council had flagged transactions involving Duterte and her relatives totaling P4.4 billion.

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The BIR witness is expected to testify on the tax declarations of Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio./ dp