LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (July 6, 2026)

The House prosecution panel has asked the Senate impeachment court to order the submission of an expanded list of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) records of Vice President Sara Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio and the businesses they own.

House prosecutors Gerville Luistro of Batangas and Chel Diokno of Akbayan party-list made the announcement in the aftermath of the Senate impeachment court’s decision to return a box of tax records, which was the result of a subpoena issued by the House prosecution panel during its deliberations on the impeachment complaints, back to the BIR.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will remain on full alert in the coming days as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte kicked off on Monday, July 6.

Over 4,000 Metro Manila cops were deployed as more than 300 individuals held protests near the Senate's premises in Pasay City.

The spokesperson for the Senate impeachment court said Monday Vice President Sara Duterte cannot be compelled to attend her own trial as she has the right against self-incrimination and is being represented by her lawyers.

In a press conference, Atty. Reginald Tongol said that it is up to Duterte if she wants to voluntarily attend the impeachment trial, but no one can actually force her to do so.
 

Impeachment court presiding officer Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Monday ordered the issuance of subpoenas for two National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officials to appear in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

On the first day of the trial, Escudero ordered the issuance of subpoena ad testificandum (to appear and testify before a court) and subpoena duces tecum (to appear and produce items such as documents and records) to NBI-BARMM regional director Jeremy Lotoc, and NBI Cyber Investigation and Assessment Center senior agent John Mark Calilung.

The House prosecution panel has asked the Senate impeachment court to issue subpoenas directing banks to produce the bank records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio, and requiring bank officials to testify on the transactions.

The proposed subpoenas cover certified true copies of all records, documents, books, papers, electronic data, communications, and other information in the possession, custody, or control of the banks relating to any account, deposit, investment, trust, loan, safe deposit box, or other financial transaction.

Senate impeachment court presiding officer Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero ordered Monday that the box containing the tax records of Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband Manases Carpio be sent back to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

On the first day of the Vice President’s impeachment trial, Escudero said the BIR box must be returned closed and sealed.

“This box was turned over to the Senate as part of the documents, including the Articles of Impeachment. However, the Court is not yet in custodia legis of this box given that there is no lawful order issued by the court for this box to be turned over to the Senate. Moreso that it is not yet offered in evidence, not even, as of yet, marked,” he said.

“The chair therefore orders that the BIR box---closed, sealed, and asked it is received---be sent back to the BIR, without prejudice to any action that the court may take,” he added.

Vice President Sara Duterte betrayed the public trust by allegedly resorting to violence, threatening to kill the President and misusing public funds, the House prosecution panel argued on Monday as it opened its case before the Senate impeachment court.

House lead prosecutor and Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville Luistro delivered the prosecution's opening statement on the first day of Duterte's impeachment trial.

Malacañang on Monday said Vice President Sara Duterte should address the allegations against her before the Senate impeachment court instead of making statements outside the proceedings.

The Senate convened as an impeachment court shortly after 2 p.m., with 21 senators present in the session hall. Duterte did not attend the formal opening, according to her defense team.

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday afternoon was formally elected as presiding officer of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Escudero was nominated to the post by Senator Panfilo Lacson amid the opposition of Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano and the minority bloc.

Twelve senators voted in favor of Escudero's election, while eight were against.

Senators Kiko Pangilinan and former Senate President Tito Sotto pointed out that there is no explicit Constitutional provision that the Senate President should be the presiding officer of the impeachment trial of the Vice President.

Escudero previously presided over the impeachment court in 2025 when he was still the Senate president.