Senate eyes new impeachment trial sequence to speed up proceedings

Senate President Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian said the Senate is studying a possible change in the order of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment proceedings to make the trial more efficient and easier for the public to follow.

In an interview, Gatchalian said he has been discussing the proposal with Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero.

Instead of waiting for the House prosecution panel to finish presenting evidence on all the Articles of Impeachment before the defense begins its case, the Senate is considering allowing the defense to immediately respond after the prosecution completes each article.

The proposal comes after prosecutors concluded their presentation on Article IV, which centers on Duterte's alleged death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The prosecution spent nine trial days presenting witnesses and evidence on that article alone.

If adopted, the defense would be allowed to present its witnesses and evidence for Article IV before prosecutors proceed to Article I, which deals with Duterte's alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Gatchalian said the revised sequence could help shorten the trial by allowing both parties to eliminate unnecessary or repetitive witnesses. It would also make the proceedings easier for the public to follow because each article would be tackled from the prosecution's case through the defense's response before moving to the next issue.

The Senate President stressed, however, that the change cannot be imposed unilaterally and will only take effect if both the prosecution and the defense agree to the revised schedule.

The adjustment could also affect the appearance of witnesses already lined up for Article I, including two Land Bank officials who have been subpoenaed by the Senate. Their testimonies would likely be deferred until the defense finishes presenting its case on Article IV.

For its part, the House prosecution panel said it is receptive to the proposal. Spokesperson Jay Tolosa said prosecutors are willing to adopt changes that could expedite the proceedings, noting that the new arrangement may also allow them to drop witnesses whose testimonies would merely duplicate evidence already presented.