Sara Duterte trial enters Day 5 with aide Lopez expected on stand
MANILA, Philippines — The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte enters its fifth day Tuesday, July 14, with the Senate impeachment court still on the article that turned an overnight press conference into one of the central allegations against her.
Now in its second week, the trial will continue tackling Article IV of the Articles of Impeachment, which accuses Duterte of grave threats and inciting to sedition over her remarks against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House speaker Martin Romualdez.
National Bureau of Investigation Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc is expected to continue testifying before the impeachment court after facing cross-examination by Duterte's defense team on Monday, July 13.
Lotoc, the second witness presented by House prosecutors, testified on the NBI's investigation into Duterte's October and November 2024 remarks.
Sara's aide expected to testify
Also expected to take the witness stand is Zuleika Lopez, Duterte's chief of staff and the third witness in the impeachment trial.
Lopez was previously held in contempt by the House of Representatives during its investigation into the confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
It was the news that Lopez could be transferred to the Correctional Institution for Women that preceded Duterte's November 2024 online press conference, where she made the remarks now at the center of Article IV.
During that press conference, Duterte said she had spoken to an assassin and instructed the person to kill Marcos, Araneta-Marcos and Romualdez if she were killed.
House prosecutors have cited those remarks as the basis for the grave threats and inciting to sedition allegations, which the impeachment court is expected to hear over 11 trial days.
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