MANILA, Philippines — Setting a definitive, fast-tracked timeline for one of the most high-stakes political trials in modern Philippine history, the legislative branch has officially locked in its judicial ground rules. The Senate impeachment court has approved a fixed allocation of 92 total trial days for the upcoming historic trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
The parameters were finalized inside a 15-page pretrial order signed and promulgated by Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, who is serving as the presiding officer of the impeachment body.
The historic trial is officially scheduled to commence on July 6, 2026. To maintain an aggressive, uninterrupted pace, the Senate court has structured a tight weekly schedule that transitions into a permanent late-afternoon calendar following its opening month:
[ IMPEACHMENT TRIAL CALENDAR AND PHASE SCHEDULE ]
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┌──────────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────────┐
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[ PHASE 1: JULY 6 TO JULY 27 ] [ PHASE 2: AUGUST ONWARD ]
• **Days of Operation:** Every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. • **Days of Operation:** Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
• **Daily Courtroom Window:** Sessions will begin promptly at • **Daily Courtroom Window:** Sessions shift slightly later to
**2:00 PM** and run late into the evening. • begin at **3:00 PM** until the trial's ultimate termination.
Out of the 92 trial days granted by the Senate court, the House prosecution panel was awarded 62 dates to present its evidence, while the defense team secured 30 dates for its counter-arguments. The prosecution’s time is strictly apportioned across the four core Articles of Impeachment:
[ THE PROSECUTION EVIDENCE BLOCK ALLOCATION ] │ ▼[ Article I ] ──► **Confidential Funds (31 Days):** Over half of the prosecution's time is dedicated to proving the alleged misuse and misappropriation of up to ₱612.5 million in confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) from late 2022 to 2023. │ ▼[ Article II ] ──► **Unexplained Wealth (12 Days):** Allotted to tackle alleged accumulation of unexplained wealth disproportionate to her public income, false SALNs, and continued hidden business interests. │ ▼[ Article III ] ──► **Bribery and DepEd Corruption (8 Days):** Assigned to investigate alleged monetary gifts and secret payments made to DepEd officials during her tenure as education chief. │ ▼[ Article IV ] ──► **Assassination Threats & Sedition (11 Days):** Reserved to address her public statements regarding contracting a hitman targeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the First Lady, and the former House Speaker.
The court noted that the prosecution intends to call a massive roster of 57 witnesses, while the defense has prepared a list of 45. Crucially, 17 individuals overlap as common witnesses requested by both legal teams.
These high-profile, shared witnesses will be subjected to intense questioning from both sides of the plenary floor:
- Ramil Madriaga: The Vice President’s self-proclaimed alleged bagman.
- Antonio Trillanes IV: Former Senator and vocal administration critic.
- Melvin Matibag: National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director.
- Jesus Crispin Remulla: Department of Justice Secretary / Ombudsman lead figures.
- Ronel Buenaventura: Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director.
Following the promulgation of the pretrial order, both the prosecution and defense panels have been given a strict window of three calendar days to review the text and file minor technical corrections. Once this temporary three-day window closes, the order becomes legally permanent, and no further changes or structural adjustments to the 92-day roadmap will be permitted as the country prepares for the opening gavel on July 6.