Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. Photo courtesy of Senate of the Philippines.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said documents related to Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial were now available to the public through the Senate website.
The Senate added an impeachment section on its online platform containing records from the proceedings, including submissions from the prosecution and defense, court issuances, and the official journal of hearings.
Gatchalian said the documents were uploaded by the Senate Secretariat, which serves as the impeachment clerk of court, to allow the public to access records and evidence presented during the trial.
He encouraged Filipinos to review the materials and follow the proceedings themselves, saying the public plays an important role in understanding the impeachment process.
Duterte’s impeachment trial began on July 6 and is being conducted three times a week, with the Senate impeachment court allocating 92 trial days for the proceedings.
The vice president is facing four Articles of Impeachment after the House of Representatives found grounds to proceed with the case.
The charges involve alleged misuse of Php 612.5 million in confidential funds from the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, alleged unexplained wealth and inaccurate asset declarations, and alleged bribery and procurement issues involving DepEd officials.
The fourth article concerns alleged assassination threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.