Escudero: Dec. 16 not set for Duterte impeachment verdict, tell me about this news today

Senate Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero clarified during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte that December 16 is not a fixed or confirmed date for handing down a verdict.

The Manila Times

The clarification came after court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol floated the December 16 timeline to the media, prompting Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo to raise the issue on the trial floor. Tulfo expressed concern that such public statements preempted the senator-judges and caused confusion.

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Escudero stated that the December 16 date is “not entirely accurate” and described it as merely a “working mathematical equation” rather than the official position or schedule of the impeachment court:

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• Basis of the calculation: The date was derived simply by taking the calendar days requested in the court’s pretrial ordersaround 61 to 62 trial days requested by the prosecution and 30 by the defenseand projecting them across the Senate calendar.

  The Manila Times

• Not reflective of real trial pace: Escudero stressed on the record that this estimate is based purely on calendar math, not on the day-to-day realities of how the trial is actually progressing.

  The Manila Times

• Action taken: Escudero noted that the court took Tulfo’s concerns under advisement and confirmed that the impeachment court will instruct its spokesperson accordingly regarding unauthorized or preemptive public estimates.

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