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

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