The impeachment court convenes without members of the Senate minority bloc, who opted not to cast their votes on resolving the conviction threshold, on Sept. 23, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — Trial presiding officer Francis Escudero on Monday clarified the statement issued by the Senate impeachment court's spokesperson last week, saying it was "not entirely true."
Senate impeachment court spokesman Reginald Tongol said Friday that senator-judges could reach a verdict in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte by Dec. 16, 2026, which Escudero said was only "based on math, not based on the realities on the ground of the trial."
He said Tongol's estimate "is not entirely accurate" and "may be a working mathematical equation" but is not the court's position.
"The court will instruct the spokesperson accordingly," he added.
Escudero issued the clarification after Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo asked the presiding officer about the court spokesman's opinion on the potential date of reaching a verdict.
He said Tongol's remark surprised many of his fellow senator-judges.
Senator-judge Francis Pangilinan said Saturday that he does not share the spokesperson's opinion and that Tongol "has no authority to issue his personal opinions on the court's behalf."
Tulfo stressed "it's about time" that the court issue a warning to Tongol over what he said were repeated lapses.
Tongol's statement last week appeared that he "preempted" the senator-judges, added Tulfo.
Escudero said he would take Tulfo's suggestion "in advisement" and noted that the court "shall act accordingly based on the senator-judge's manifestation."
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