Biz Leader Urges Senate to Wrap Up Sara Duterte Trial by Year-End
According to business.inquirer.net, Makati Business Club chair Edgar Chua has appealed to the Senate to finish Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial before the year concludes, cautioning that dragging the proceedings into 2027 could pull lawmakers away from their legislative responsibilities and national budget reviews.
Prosectution Drops Three Articles to Streamline Trial
The call for an expedited timeline follows a change in the Senate impeachment court in Pasay City. On Day 39 of the proceedings, the prosecution withdrew three of the four original articles of impeachment against Duterte. Prosecutors stated they believed the defense lacked evidence or witnesses to present on those specific charges and that pressing them would merely prolong the trial.
The Senate impeachment court accepted the withdrawal. Among the removed counts were the accusations concerning the alleged misuse of P612.5-million in confidential funds split between the Department of Education and the Office of the Vice President, the purported bribery of Department of Education staff, and the alleged grave threats made against former Speaker Martin Romualdez, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and President Marcos.
With those three articles dismissed, Article 2 remains the sole remaining charge. That article accuses Duterte of accumulating unexplained wealth that was not declared in her statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.
Edgar Chua welcomed the narrowing of the case. He noted that focusing exclusively on the unexplained wealth charge prevents the trial from stretching out indefinitely.
Personally, I think just focusing on one [article], the unexplained wealth, is good. Because otherwise, if you do it one by one, there’s no end. We want it completed as soon as possible, but in a fair way.
Chua added that the streamlined case should also benefit the Vice President by simplifying her defense. He suggested that Duterte should welcome the change to bring a faster resolution to the matter.
Senate Budget Deliberations Force Three-Week Recess
The impeachment court is currently observing a three-week recess to allow senators to focus on deliberating the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027. Administrative matters, including guidelines for handling confidential documents within the prosecution’s formal offer of evidence, occupied the court during its session before the break.
Hearings are scheduled to resume on November 9 and continue through November 23. Business leaders emphasize that lawmakers must prioritize the spending plan over extended legal arguments.
Chua warned that allowing the trial to bleed into 2027 would distract the legislature from critical economic oversight. Analyses from the People’s Budget Coalition and the Roundtable for Inclusive Development raised concerns that the proposed budget relies heavily on financial assistance programs while dedicating insufficient increases to health, education, transportation, and infrastructure.
The Makati Business Club previously called for a fair, impartial, and transparent trial back in May, cautioning that subordinated rule of law damages investor confidence and institutional credibility. As sluggish government spending weighs on economic growth, business groups maintain that the final quality of the 2027 budget remains the most critical factor for the remainder of the Marcos administration.