House prosecutors expect to present first witness when VP Sara trial starts July 6

THE House prosecution panel on Friday said it expects to present its first witness when the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte starts on July 6, kicking off what could be at least three months of hearings before the Senate impeachment court.

House prosecution panel legal spokesperson and private prosecutor Benjamin “Jay” Tolosa Jr. said the prosecution’s first witness is scheduled to testify on the opening day of the trial.

“The first day of hearing for the presentation of our first witness is scheduled on July 6,” Tolosa said during a press briefing via Zoom.

He said the presentation of witnesses and documentary evidence will initially be held every Monday to Wednesday until the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27.

After the SONA, the trial schedule will shift to Tuesday through Thursday each week, he added.

The prosecution asked for 62 trial days to present its case during the pre-trial proceedings, while the defense requested 30 days.

“So kung babasihin natin dito, at least three months ho ’yan, could be more,” Tolosa said, based on the number of trial days sought by both sides to present their respective cases.

Tolosa stressed, however, that the proposed timetable is only an estimate and that the trial could move faster depending on how the presentation of evidence proceeds.

“It would still depend on several circumstances, for example, kung possible we could present more than one witness per day. So pwede ho mapabilis,” Tolosa said.

The House prosecution panel has previously clarified that its request for 62 presentation days represents the maximum time it may need to present its evidence rather than the actual time it expects to consume.

Prosecutors have said the request was based on the volume of documentary evidence, particularly thousands of records related to the Vice President’s confidential funds.

The prosecution has also previously disclosed that it intends to present 57 witnesses during the trial.

According to the panel, the number was finalized during pre-trial to ensure that all potential witnesses are identified in compliance with the Senate impeachment rules, which generally bar the presentation of witnesses not listed before trial.

The Senate impeachment court completed pre-trial proceedings on June 25, paving the way for the July 6 start of the trial, when prosecutors are expected to present witnesses and documentary evidence in support of the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte.