Duterte trial ends early over late AMLC docs, ‘confidential’ mark

Update at 5:40 P.M.

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial ended early on Thursday due to concerns raised by her defense team, including the confidentiality of documents submitted by a prosecution witness.

Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Atty. Ronel Buenaventura was scheduled to testify for the prosecution on Thursday in connection with allegations that Duterte had amassed unexplained wealth and failed to declare it in her Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

However, Duterte’s lead defense counsel, Shiela Sison, informed the court that they had received the AMLC summaries only on Thursday morning.

“We just noticed that this document consists of the summaries, including the cover letter submitted by the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Atty. Ronel Buenaventura, consisting of 11 pages, actually has on each and every page of this document a strictly confidential mark,” Sison said. “And this repeats in the entire submission, including the accompanying summaries identified as Annex A and so on and so forth.”

“There is also a portion in the cover letter dated October 1, 2026 of the Executive Director of AMLC addressed to the lead of the panel of the prosecutors explicitly saying that the AMLC is not waiving the confidentiality of AMLC records,” she added.

House prosecutor Chel Diokno disputed Sison’s claim, saying that the AMLC documents were provided to the defense team on Sept. 2. 

“That is, I believe, enough time for them to have produced the documents and prepared for the presentation of the witness from the AMLC,” Diokno said.

Senator-judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III expressed strong reservations about postponing the proceedings.

“I am not aware of what the presiding officer’s ruling would be, but I have very strong reservations about postponing any proceedings this afternoon because all this time, I thought that the prosecution and the defense have been ready with this since July, since the time we took the oath. And they already know what’s coming, right?” Sotto said.

“So I don’t think many would enjoy a postponement only because they were not given proper time. This was since July, and I understand September too, the defense was given,” he added.

In the end, the Senate Impeachment Court granted the defense team’s request for ample time to prepare for the direct and cross-examinations of the AMLC witness.

“On the requested time of the respondent or counsel for respondent to prepare adequately for the AMLC, I believe this is only the first time that this is being done in excess of the day,” Presiding Officer and Sen. Francis Escudero said.

“So, ex comitate, ex aequo, out of courtesy and equity, the chair grants the time requested by the counsel for respondent for time to prepare for the direct and cross-examination of the AMLC witness on Monday,” he added.

The 32nd day of the trial on Thursday was supposed to be the first full day of proceedings, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. However, the court adjourned the session at 3:30 p.m.

The court also canceled Friday’s trial and decided to resume proceedings next week to hear the testimonies of officials from financial institutions. /mcm