THE House of Representatives withdrew three impeachment articles against Vice President Sara Duterte to prevent her trial from dragging into 2027 and losing public interest, Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua said on Saturday.
Chua said prosecutors anticipated that Duterte’s defense team might prolong the proceedings, prompting them to focus on Article II, which involves allegations of unexplained wealth, undeclared assets and prohibited business interests.
”Part of it was really a legal strategy,” Chua said at the News Forum in Quezon City on Saturday.
The Senate impeachment court on Tuesday accepted the withdrawal of Article I on alleged misuse of confidential funds, Article III on bribery and Article IV on grave threats, leaving only Article II for trial.
Duterte’s defense has criticized the move, arguing that it deprived her of the opportunity to challenge the accusations and present evidence. Her spokesman, Salvador Paolo Panelo Jr., said the withdrawal showed that the charges lacked basis.
Chua disagreed, saying Duterte had already been given opportunities to answer the allegations during congressional investigations in 2024. He accused the Duterte camp of focusing on Supreme Court challenges over jurisdiction and other procedural issues instead of directly addressing the accusations.
The confidential funds allegations remain subject to separate evaluation by the Office of the Ombudsman, while a grave threats case is pending before a Quezon City court.
Chua said he hoped the Senate impeachment court could reach a verdict by late November or the first week of December. The trial is scheduled to resume on Nov. 9, when Duterte’s defense team is expected to present evidence.
