MANILA, Philippines — The Senate impeachment court is expected to announce as early as Wednesday, September 2, 2026, whether it will change the schedule of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial as senators seek to speed up the proceedings and keep the case on track for a possible decision before the end of the year.
Impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol said Tuesday that the court is still finalizing the proposed changes after reviewing the Senate’s calendar, including the schedule for deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget.
According to Tongol, three possibilities remain on the table: the court could retain the current arrangement, move the hearings entirely to the afternoon, or adopt a mixed schedule with some hearings held in the morning and others in the afternoon.
“If changes are approved on Wednesday, the new arrangement could take effect next week,” Tongol said.
The decision is being closely watched because the schedule has become one of the key factors affecting how quickly the historic impeachment proceedings can move.
Why the Senate is considering another schedule change
The impeachment trial has generally been held during limited hours because senators also have regular legislative duties.
The Senate has previously explored moving impeachment proceedings to the afternoon so that regular plenary sessions can be conducted in the morning, giving the impeachment court longer and potentially uninterrupted hours to hear witnesses and examine evidence.
Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier said a majority of senators had expressed support for afternoon proceedings, while other proposals included extending hearings beyond the usual hours when necessary.
The prosecution has also indicated that longer hearing hours could help prevent the trial from stretching well into next year.
Tongol said the impeachment court is weighing the different options with the goal of completing the trial by December 2026.
Trial enters a critical phase
The possible schedule adjustment comes as the prosecution moves closer to completing its presentation on Article I, which concerns allegations involving the use and liquidation of confidential funds during Duterte’s tenure as vice president and education secretary.
The first article involves allegations surrounding approximately P612.5 million in confidential funds—including funds released to the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education. The allegations are being contested by Duterte’s defense team.
On Tuesday, September 1, the impeachment court dealt with testimony from military officials whose certifications were connected to documents used by DepEd in accounting for confidential-fund expenditures.
However, the proceedings moved more quickly than expected after the prosecution and defense agreed on key facts, allowing the court to dispense with portions of the planned testimony.
The development could affect the prosecution’s timetable as it moves toward additional witnesses.
Michael Poa expected to take the witness stand
One of the most closely watched upcoming witnesses is Michael Wesley Poa, a former DepEd official who is now part of Duterte’s defense team.
Poa is expected to testify for the prosecution regarding the disbursement and documentation of DepEd confidential funds during Duterte’s tenure as education secretary.
The prosecution had sought to maximize the September 2 hearing schedule by presenting Poa along with Philippine Statistics Authority Assistant National Statistician Marizza Grande.
PNA reported that Poa was already present in court and willing to testify, meaning a subpoena was considered unnecessary. Grande is expected to address questions involving the verification of names appearing in documents connected to confidential-fund expenditures.
Inquirer also reported that the prosecution expects to have only a handful of witnesses remaining on the confidential-fund issue before moving to the next article of impeachment.
Prosecution hopes to finish evidence presentation soon
The House prosecution panel has been working toward completing its presentation of evidence in the coming weeks.
House prosecutor Terry Ridon earlier said the panel was targeting the end of September to finish its presentation, giving the defense time to present its own evidence before the impeachment court potentially moves toward a ruling later in the year.
More recently, Manila Rep. Joel Chua said the prosecution could finish its presentation on the confidential-fund allegations as early as the following week, depending on the remaining witnesses and proceedings.
That timetable makes the Senate’s decision on the hearing schedule particularly significant.
A longer or more flexible hearing schedule could allow the court to accommodate more testimony and cross-examination without sacrificing the Senate’s regular legislative responsibilities.
What happens next?
For now, no final schedule change has been announced.
Tongol said the impeachment court could announce its decision on Wednesday, September 2, after the Senate leadership and the presiding officer finalize the calendar.
If a new schedule is approved, it could begin the following week. The court could ultimately choose afternoon hearings, retain morning proceedings, or adopt a combination of both.
The bigger issue, however, goes beyond the clock.
With the prosecution approaching the end of portions of its evidence presentation and the defense expected to eventually present its own witnesses and documents, every additional hearing day could have a direct impact on whether the Senate can meet its target of resolving the impeachment case before the end of 2026.
For now, all eyes are on September 2—when the Senate impeachment court may reveal whether Sara Duterte’s trial is about to enter a significantly different phase.
The schedule may change. But the bigger question remains: how much closer will the court be to a final decision once the clock starts running longer?
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