MANILA — The impeachment court on Wednesday continued the fourth day of the pretrial conference in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, as both the House prosecution panel and the defense worked through thousands of documents related to the charges.
The proceedings focused on the marking of evidence for Article I, which concerns the vice president’s alleged misuse of confidential funds, and Article II, which pertains to her alleged unexplained wealth.
Both camps had earlier expected the pretrial conference to conclude on its second day, but the volume of documentary evidence extended the process.
To expedite the proceedings, five teams composed of representatives from the prosecution, the defense, and the Senate Office of the Secretary were assigned to handle the marking of evidence. Three teams were tasked with reviewing documents under Article I, which involves about 4,000 records, while two teams were assigned to Article II.
The Senate Office of the Secretary also serves as the clerk of court for the impeachment proceedings.
The House prosecution panel has asked the impeachment court to schedule additional sessions on Friday and Saturday if the pretrial conference is not completed by Thursday.
Defense spokesperson Michael Poa said the defense is amenable to the proposed schedule but expressed hope that an extension would not be necessary.
Poa said the duration of the pretrial phase remains uncertain because it depends on the pace of the evidence-marking process.