Sara Duterte lawyers to comply with schedule changes in Senate impeachment trial

The defense team of Vice President Sara Duterte will comply with any schedule changes to be implemented by the Senate impeachment court for the trial of the country's second highest government official.

"The Defense will comply with whatever schedule the Impeachment Court may decide upon," Atty. Michael Poa, lead spokesperson and defense counsel for the Vice President, told GMA News Online on Saturday.

"We are prepared to proceed in accordance with the Court's directives," Poa said.

The House prosecution team earlier said it favors starting the impeachment trial of Duterte at 3 p.m. onward, and even holding it on Fridays, to speed up the proceedings.

The impeachment court has conducted the trial at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is to allow time for the Senate plenary session, where bills are deliberated and approved, at 3 p.m.

It was Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri who proposed holding legislative sessions at 10 a.m., then opening Duterte's impeachment trial at 3 p.m. so as not to be hampered by the regular legislative calendar.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday said senator-judges have reached a consensus to move the trial in the afternoon.

At a news forum on Saturday, Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Terry Ridon, a member of the House prosecution team, said, "Wala ho tayong pagtutol sa pagpapa-late ng oras… Ang nais natin dito is pabilisan ang paglilitis at tapusin na sa pinakamaagang panahon at araw."

(We have no objection with moving the trial at a later hour… What we want is to hasten the trial and finish it at the soonest possible time.)

Barring any further delays in its schedule, the 17th day of the impeachment trial will be conducted on Monday.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian's Pre-Trial Order originally set a 92-day trial period, with 62 days for the prosecution and 30 days for the defense.

Inclement weather and floods brought about by recent tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon or Habagat have forced the cancellation of several trial dates. — VDV, GMA News