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Amid ongoing discussions about Vice President Sara Duterte's appearance in the impeachment trial, the Senate impeachment court doesn’t require her to appear in person.
Senate impeachment court Atty. Regie Tongol stated that the presence of her defense team is enough to represent her in the trial.
“Cannot be compelled to attend, one, because meron po siyang right against self-incrimination under the Constitution. Hindi rin po siya kinakailangang pumunta naman kasi wala namang pangangailangan sa pagpunta niya dahil nirerepresenta na po siya ng kanyang mga abogado at yung depensa niya ay narerepresenta na rin nung answer niya po na finile,” he said
[“Cannot be compelled to attend, one, because she has a right against self-incrimination under the Constitution. She doesn’t really need to attend because there is no necessity for her attendance, as she is represented by her lawyers, and her defense also represents the answer she filed.”]
Atty. Tongol also mentioned that it’s at the discretion of the Vice President if she wants to attend physically in the Senate impeachment court.
“It's up to her po. Wala pong magagawa ang sinuman para pilitin siyang pumunta,” Atty. Tongol said
[“It’s up to her. Nobody can force her to attend.”]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jyQd720gWU
Defense team spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa had mentioned earlier that they will only determine if the Vice President will personally appear at the trial if the situation calls for it.
“As I've always mentioned, ang kanyang physical presence, we will assess kung kinakailangan. Bakit hindi? But that will depend on how the proceedings go, and we will advise her accordingly,” he said
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=J0ykgmMLWE9tBV2I&v=C4if4NizieQ&feature=youtu.be
Watch the full livestream of the impeachment trial (Day 2):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otnxfcsGE-Y
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) will collaborate with the Department of Education (DepEd) to strengthen transparency in school infrastructure projects.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the joint effort between the two institutions aims to establish accountability and good governance in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
Besides, the support from the BCBP will help address school shortages and improve school facilities, according to DepEd.
“Ang pakikipagtulungang ito ay sumusuporta sa patuloy na pagsisikap ng Kagawaran na tugunan ang kakulangan sa silid-aralan at pagandahin ang mga pasilidad para sa pag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng mga proyektong pang-imprastraktura,”
BCBP will serve as an independent third-party observer and advisor under the PPP for Schools Infrastructure Project.
The scope of their involvement includes providing insights on the important stages of project implementation, such as:
The DepEd clarified that the BCBP will not participate in the following:
The MOU also includes safeguards against conflict of interest.
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will implement various interventions for farmers who may be affected by an irrigation shortage, as it continues to monitor the situation at Magat Dam.
According to NIA Administrator Eduardo Guillen, around 20% to 25% of the estimated 90,000 hectares covered by the Magat irrigation system could lose water supply if the water level in Magat Dam remains low.
“Irigated area lang namin so far, ‘yong target area namin na 140,000 kaya pa patubigan naman. Pero diyan sa may Magat area, ‘yan ang may critical dahil mababa na ‘yong ating level. Siguro ang affected diyan around 20,000 hectares sa may Magat area or out of the 90,000,” he said
The NIA is already coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to encourage farmers to plant high-value crops that require less water, such as mung beans (munggo) and peanuts, while the irrigation supply remains insufficient.
The agency is also studying the distribution of water pumps and fuel assistance and considering allocating funds for the early repair of irrigation canals and the installation of solar pump irrigation systems.
“Ang decision namin, tulungan sila through water pump, ‘yong fuel. Tinitingnan namin kung pwede kaming kumuha ng pondo namin sa aming operational maintenance at itulong sa kanilang fuel,” Guillen said
“So anyway, again multi-agency task ito. So tumutulong ang DA, tumutulong din ang DSWD, tumutulong din ang DOLE,” he added
The NIA has also requested the DA to conduct cloud seeding operations over the Magat Dam catchment area, noting that while there is rainfall around the reservoir, it doesn’t directly reach the dam. They also hope that if the water inflow increases in the coming days, some farmers will still have the opportunity to catch up on their planting.
With reports from Grace Doctolero
Private Prosecutor, Atty. Lorna Kapunan has questioned why VP Sara skipped the second day of the impeachment trial while she was actually seen on the Senate premises earlier today, July 8, 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvqzFn2zZZg
“My respectful query, Your Honors, please, which could be directed to the defense counsels, is if the Vice President is in the premises, does she intend to appear personally before this impeachment court?” she said
Earlier, Defense team spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa confirmed that the Vice President will physically attend on the Senate premises to meet with her defense team, not to attend the trial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O_IdKlLRfQ
Kapunan questioned if the Vice President has a plan or intention to attend physically because she is included in the key witnesses in the articles of impeachment regarding grave threats and acts of sedition.
“First article that we will be presenting, which is grave threats and acts of sedition,” Kapunan said
“One of the key witnesses, albeit hostile, would be the Vice President, and therefore, if we can inquire, if it is her intention to again appear in the premises of the Senate? Because we are already respectfully informing this honorable court that we will manifest that we will have a written request for her presence in connection with this article on grave threats,” she asked
As a response, Presiding Senator-Judge Chiz Escudero emphasized the impeachment rules where the Vice President is not required to attend physically, but can be represented by her defense team in the trial.
“To answer, the impeachment rules do not mandate nor require the respondent to attend any hearing or trial of the impeachment court. Whether she was in the building earlier or arrived after, it is totally up to the respondent because, from the point of view of the court, she is represented in this court through her counsel already,” Escudero said
“Should the counsel for the prosecutors desire to call the respondent herself? ‘The court will act on that motion and request’ once it is made and/or filed and need not make a ruling at this point in time. Because, of course, when that ruling, when that motion is made, we will ask the counsel respondent to make a comment and or reply,” he added
https://www.youtube.com/live/otnxfcsGE-Y?si=sMI31Jb7BUMXVgjh
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian stated that he opened the idea to his fellow senators to elect Senator Francis Chiz Escudero as a presiding officer to the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
He clarified in his official statement that Sen. Escudero will preside over the trial, and he will retain full supervision to ensure that proceedings are conducted fairly.
“Senator Escudero will preside over the day-to-day conduct of the trial. As Senate President, I retain full supervision over the impeachment court and will stay closely engaged throughout, to ensure the proceedings are conducted fairly, in accordance with the Constitution, our Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials, and the highest standards of due process,” he said
Additionally, his decision will pave a way to do his other constitutional mandate or other duties of the Senate.
“This arrangement also allows me to help shepherd the other equally important business awaiting this chamber, chief among them, key Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) measures, deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget, and hearings in aid of legislation on urgent national concerns such as the flood control controversy and school-related violence and the other urgent business of the nation,” he said
He also assured the public this matter doesn’t mean that he disregards the trial, but it shows his determination to pay attention not just in the impeachment trial but also in the other duties that the Senate must face.
“Nais kong tiyakin sa taumbayan na hindi ito nangangahulugan na binabalewala natin ang bigat ng paglilitis na ito. Sa katunayan, ipinapakita nito ang ating determinasyon na bigyan ng buong pansin, kapwa ang paglilitis at ang ibang tungkuling nakaatang sa Senado,” he said
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