THE House prosecution panel has formally withdrawn the bribery charge — Article III — from the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, stating it has already presented sufficient evidence on the remaining three articles and wishes to keep the proceedings on track.
Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores confirmed the decision during a press briefing Friday, noting that the panel had filed its manifestation with the Senate Impeachment Court on Tuesday, October 6. “We think we have already presented enough on all three articles, and dragging it further to include bribery might be stretching the patience not only of the people but also of the senator‑judges,” Flores said.
The dropped charge alleged that Duterte, during her time as Secretary of Education, bribed department officials to influence procurement decisions. Prosecutors explained that continuing to pursue this specific article would unnecessarily extend the trial timeline, noting that the 60‑day presentation window they had originally requested already included contingencies and was not a fixed commitment to use every available day. The impeachment court raised no objection to the withdrawal, as the prosecution retains full discretion over which charges to pursue.
The panel will now proceed to complete its presentation on Article II — the core allegation of unexplained wealth involving bank records, tax filings, property documents, and SALN disclosures linked to Duterte and her husband, Atty. Manases “Mans” Carpio — before formally resting its case. Articles I and IV, concerning the misuse of confidential funds and alleged threats made in a November 2024 livestream, have already been presented. Fellow prosecutor Rep. Rodge Gutierrez emphasized that each article stands independently, and the removal of one does not diminish the weight or validity of the remaining charges.
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