House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno makes a manifestation during the 23rd day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate in Pasay City on September 8, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/FileMANILA — House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno on Monday told the Senate impeachment court that they were willing to drop their request for admissions of bank documents of Vice President Sara Duterte if her lawyers could instead enter into stipulations.
The Senate court tackles proposed stipulations from either party to skip debates on a particular point or issue and to speed up the impeachment trial.
The House prosecution earlier this month asked Duterte's legal team to authenticate subpoenaed bank records and confirm her ownership of accounts ahead of its presentation of evidence on her alleged unexplained wealth.
Diokno said the defense on September 23 made a "wholesale rejection"of their request for admissions, which he said could accelerate the trial when granted because it allows them to skip the presentation of up to 20 witnesses.
The prosecutor pointed out that the defense in their reply to the request for admissions noted that "the respondent herself expressly declared that stipulations remain available."
The proposed stipulations, Diokno said, will be limited only to three basic matters: that the bank records exist, that they were produced by the identified banks, pursuant to the subpoenas issued by the Senate court; and that they are genuine and authentic copies of the records maintained and produced by those banks.
"We will withdraw our request for admission if the respondent will agree to this. The proposed stipulations would not require the respondent to admit liability, the truth and accuracy of every entry, or the prosecution’s interpretation of any transaction," he said.
Lead defense counsel Sheila Sison, in her reply, told the Senate court that she was "just informed that more documents are set today for marking" and that her team would not have enough time to examine the documents.
"And there will be no basis for any stipulation today or even tomorrow or even on Wednesday," she said.
"Kung magkakaroon man tayo ng stipulation, our suggestion is that the proposal for stipulation be made at the appropriate time and that appropriate time is at the time when the prosecution will make its offer on the testimonial evidence accompanying any documentary evident that they would want to present before this court," she said.
Sara Duterte camp asserts right to remain silent in bid for bank docs admission
—With a report from Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News
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