The Senate impeachment court on Tuesday released the November schedule for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the trial is scheduled to resume on November 9, with additional hearings set for the following dates:
- November 9: Trial starts at 10 a.m.; session to suspend at 3 p.m. for plenary and resume after plenary.
- November 10: Trial from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- November 11: Trial starts at 10 a.m.; session to be suspended in the afternoon for legislative proceedings.
- November 12: Trial from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- November 13: Trial from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- November 19: Trial from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- November 20: Trial from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- November 23: Trial from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Escudero said the defense has 26 calendar days from Oct. 13 to prepare its evidence.
He added that the court would determine its December schedule based on the number of additional trial dates requested by the defense.
“The Court is presently ahead of its projected trial schedule under the pre-trial order given the schedule proposed for the presentation of prosecution evidence by 20 trial days as of today because of our whole day hearings,” Escudero said.
However, he said the court’s lead over its projected schedule would narrow to three trial days by Nov. 9 because of a scheduled recess of about three weeks.
“Considering the budget hearings, the ASEAN-related break, and other holidays, eight available trial days will be lost in the month of November,” Escudero added.
