Impeachment trial for VP Sara Duterte to resume October 1

The Senate Impeachment Court is set to resume the trial of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, (October 1, 2026) following a strategic one-day pause designed to prepare for grueling marathon sessions.

According to the Philippine News Agency, "Court spokesperson Regie Tongol called the break a “strategic procedural pause” ahead of sessions from October 1 to 15, which will run from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m."

Tongol said the court is operating ahead of schedule and the brief recess provides both the prosecution and defense teams critical time to organize complex evidence.

The whole-day impeachment sessions will tackle voluminous financial records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council and Registers of Deeds.

Marathon sessions to address key evidence

According to advisories from the Senate Impeachment Court, the trial schedule for October outlines three continuous blocks of whole-day hearings:

October 1–2: Whole-day trial (10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)

October 5–9: Whole-day trial (10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.)

October 12–15: Whole-day trial (10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.)

October 16 – November 18: No trial sessions (Proceedings suspended for 2027 General Appropriations Act deliberations)

Mid-October recess for budget deliberations

Following the intensive October 12–15 block, trial proceedings will be temporarily suspended from October 16 through November 18.

The month-long break is mandated to allow senator-judges to shift their focus to floor debates and committee deliberations regarding the proposed 2027 national budget, fulfilling the Senate’s legislative constitutional duties alongside its judicial function.

Proceedings are expected to resume after the Senate wraps up its primary budgetary floor sessions in mid-November.