MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could enter a new phase in September, with a majority of senator-judges reportedly favoring afternoon hearings to give the Senate more time for legislative work while allowing the proceedings to continue into the evening.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Saturday that the prevailing sentiment among the Senate majority is to move the impeachment proceedings to the afternoon, with hearings potentially starting at 2:30 p.m. and continuing until 7:30 p.m. or later. He emphasized, however, that the proposed schedule still has to be formally discussed and agreed upon by the impeachment court.
Under the proposal discussed by senator-judges, regular legislative sessions could run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the impeachment trial beginning at around 2:30 p.m. Lacson said proceedings could extend beyond 7:30 p.m.—even until 10 or 11 p.m.—if necessary.
The proposal is expected to be taken up during the senators’ caucus next week, with members of the minority bloc also to be consulted. If approved, the change could be announced on August 26, according to Lacson.
Weather disruptions put pressure on trial schedule
The proposed change comes as the impeachment proceedings have already lost hearing time because of weather-related disruptions.
The Senate impeachment court recently suspended or canceled proceedings amid heavy rains and adverse weather conditions, slowing the House prosecution’s presentation of evidence. The interruptions have added pressure to an already lengthy trial schedule. Duterte’s defense has said it will comply with whatever schedule the impeachment court ultimately adopts.
The House prosecution has also indicated that it is open to the afternoon setup. The prosecution backed hearings beginning at around 3 p.m. and extending into the evening, and said it would even consider an additional hearing day if the impeachment court finds the arrangement workable.
Trial could take much longer than initially expected
The shift in schedule is significant because the Duterte impeachment case was initially expected to take only several months.
Before the trial began, House prosecution leader Gerville Luistro estimated that proceedings could finish by the end of September if hearings proceeded continuously without major delays.
But later estimates pointed to a substantially longer process. Senate Secretary Renato Bantug previously said the prosecution and defense had proposed a combined 92 trial days, which could stretch the proceedings to about seven months if hearings remained limited to three days a week.
The timeline has continued to evolve as witnesses have been dropped, schedules adjusted and weather interruptions affected proceedings.
What the Senate is weighing
Moving the trial to the afternoon would allow senators to divide their time between their legislative responsibilities and their duties as members of the impeachment court.
Lacson said the arrangement could also give the court greater flexibility because there would be less pressure to end proceedings at the usual time. If the trial runs beyond the proposed 7:30 p.m. endpoint, the court could continue until adjournment when circumstances require it.
The proposal is not yet a final schedule. The Senate must still formally discuss the arrangement, consult the minority and announce any approved changes through the impeachment court.
For now, the trial remains a closely watched political and constitutional proceeding, with the prosecution continuing to present evidence while Duterte’s defense prepares to answer the allegations against her.
And if the afternoon schedule is approved, the biggest question may no longer be simply when the trial starts—but how late the Senate is willing to go to finish it.
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