Timeline
Key filings, rulings, votes, and sessions in the proceeding, newest first.
Last updated:
- Other
State of the Nation Address recess
No trial sessions are held to accommodate the President's State of the Nation Address; regular pre-SONA session days (Mon/Tue/Wed) resume a post-SONA schedule of Tue/Wed/Thu afterward.
- Session
Oral arguments held on financial-records subpoenas
In Day 6 oral arguments, the prosecution summarized its Article IV grave-threats evidence and, on the Article II unexplained-wealth allegation, cited an AMLC report marked as Exhibit P-2-7-8 while formally requesting subpoenas for the bank, AMLA, and BIR records of the Vice President and her husband. The defense contested the scope of a controlling Supreme Court ruling and argued the Articles identify no specific account; the subpoena request remained pending, with no ruling described this session.
Read session page → - Session
Article IV testimony continues; twin subpoena motions consolidated
On Day 5, a prosecution witness recounted the video in which the Vice President stated she had instructed someone to kill the President, the First Lady, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez if she herself were killed, and testified that the President took the remarks as serious and real. Defense counsel argued that grave threats and inciting to sedition are not impeachable offenses; the Presiding Officer said the impeachment court would resolve the twin BIR and AMLA subpoena motions jointly, deciding as a body the following day.
Read session page → - Session
Article IV testimony resumes; subpoena oral arguments set
On Day 4, an NBI investigator testified about the bureau's grave-threats investigation into the Vice President's November 2024 statements, while defense counsel challenged the investigation's documents on dates, signatures, and a DOJ finding of insufficiency. The presiding officer scheduled oral arguments on the requested bank, AMLC, and BIR-record subpoenas for Wednesday, July 15, and senator-judges pressed both sides on the wording of the alleged threat.
Read session page → - Session
Article IV cross-examination concludes; Week 1 adjourns
On Day 3, defense counsel concluded cross-examination of NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung, testing the investigation's foundation — the alleged offended parties never appeared or complained, the witness had no personal knowledge of the threat or alleged hitman, and the DOJ had first returned the NBI affidavit as deficient. The court subpoenaed OVP chief of staff Zuleika Lopez and set July 15 oral arguments on the BIR-box and bank-record subpoenas.
Read session page → - Session
Article IV evidence presentation begins
On Day 2, prosecutors began with Article IV, played the November 2024 video in court, presented NBI Senior Agent John Mark Calilung on video preservation and authentication, and faced repeated defense objections; cross-examination was set for July 8.
Read session page → - Session
Trial proper begins
The impeachment trial opened before the Senate impeachment court. Senator-judges elected Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero as presiding officer, heard opening statements, began subpoena disputes, and set a 16-vote conviction threshold.
Read session page → - Session
Pre-trial conference concludes; pre-trial order issued
The Senate impeachment court concluded five working sessions of pre-trial conference and issued a pre-trial order, clearing the way for the trial proper to begin.
- Session
Pre-trial conference begins
The Senate impeachment court began the pre-trial conference at the Recto Room, Pasay City, focused on marking and evaluating documentary evidence submitted by both panels.
- Procedural
Senate amends impeachment rules on presiding officer
The Senate, sitting with 12 senators present, amended its impeachment rules to allow a senator other than the sitting Senate President to be elected presiding officer of the impeachment court by majority vote.
- Filing
VP Duterte files her Answer
VP Duterte's legal team filed her Answer to the Articles of Impeachment, raising what her lawyers described as constitutional, procedural, and substantive issues, without disclosing further detail.
- Procedural
Writ of summons served on VP Duterte
The Senate impeachment court served a writ of summons on VP Duterte, requiring her to file an answer to the Articles of Impeachment.
- Session
Senate convenes as an Impeachment Court
The Senate convened as an Impeachment Court and senator-judges took their oath for the trial of VP Duterte.
- Filing
Articles of Impeachment transmitted to the Senate
The House transmitted House Resolution No. 989 and the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate for trial.
- Vote
House plenary votes to impeach VP Duterte
The House of Representatives approved House Resolution No. 989 and the four Articles of Impeachment by a vote of 257 in favor, 25 against, and 9 abstentions, making Duterte the first Philippine official impeached twice.
- Vote
Committee approves Committee Report No. 261
The House Committee on Justice unanimously approved Committee Report No. 261, consolidating the surviving complaints into four Articles of Impeachment against VP Duterte, elevating the case to the full House.
- Vote
House Committee on Justice finds probable cause
The House Committee on Justice voted to find probable cause to impeach VP Duterte, after an NBI official testified regarding the authenticity of video evidence presented in the hearings.
- Session
Committee hearing on confidential funds and threat allegations
The House Committee on Justice held a hearing examining allegations of confidential-fund misuse at the OVP and DepEd and the alleged November 2024 threat statement against President Marcos.
- Session
House Committee on Justice begins formal hearings
The House Committee on Justice began formal hearings on the remaining impeachment complaints, with subpoenas issued to relevant government offices.
- Procedural
Complaints referred to House Committee on Justice
The pending impeachment complaints against VP Duterte were formally referred to the House Committee on Justice, initiating committee-level proceedings.
- Filing
Fourth impeachment complaint filed
A fourth impeachment complaint against VP Duterte was filed by a private citizen, joining the complaints already referred for House committee review.
- Procedural
One-year constitutional bar expires
The one-year bar on filing new impeachment proceedings against VP Duterte, counted from the initiation of the prior complaint, expired, opening the window for new complaints to proceed.
- Filing
New impeachment complaints filed
Two new impeachment complaints against VP Duterte were filed with the House of Representatives once the constitutional one-year bar was set to lapse.
- Ruling
Supreme Court denies reconsideration with finality
The Supreme Court En Banc denied with finality the House's motion for reconsideration, affirming that the first impeachment complaint was barred by the Constitution's one-year rule.
- Ruling
Supreme Court voids first impeachment on one-year-bar grounds
The Supreme Court En Banc ruled in G.R. No. 278353 that the first Articles of Impeachment against VP Duterte were unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar on impeachment proceedings under Article XI, Section 3(5) of the Constitution.
- Filing
First impeachment articles transmitted to the Senate
The House transmitted the first set of Articles of Impeachment against VP Sara Duterte to the Senate, formally initiating the first impeachment trial.