Senate Delays Decision on Sara Duterte's Bank Records in Impeachment Trial

Jul 15, 2026

78 min

Jul 15, 2026 23:30

Day 6 of Sara Duterte impeachment: Senate delays ruling on bank records, witness list trimmed — what Filipinos need to know

## Senate Postpones Decision on Subpoena

On the sixth day of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, the Senate decided to delay a ruling on whether to subpoena her bank records, tax returns, and documents from the Anti-Money Laundering Council. The decision will now be made on July 20, 2026. The documents are sought under Article II of the impeachment complaint, which accuses Duterte of unexplained wealth and asset non-disclosure.

## Legal Arguments Take Center Stage

The session focused on legal arguments rather than witness testimonies. Both prosecution and defense were given time for oral arguments and rebuttals. The prosecution referenced the 2012 impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona to justify their request for financial records, arguing it would expedite proceedings. The defense countered, claiming the request was a "fishing expedition" lacking legal basis.

## Witness List Adjustments

The prosecution announced changes to its witness list for Article IV, which involves allegations of grave threats. Six witnesses were withdrawn, leaving National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag as the sole witness. For Article I, concerning misuse of confidential funds, three witnesses were named.

## Tensions Over Separate Investigation

Tensions rose when Senator Pia Cayetano accused NBI Director Matibag of trying to influence the court by discussing an unrelated investigation into the 2019 Southeast Asian Games project. Matibag denied any connection to the senator, stating the probe was part of a broader inquiry.

## Court Orders Restraint

The court instructed both parties to avoid public explanations of witness withdrawals, emphasizing that such matters should be left to the court's determination.

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