Impeachment court lets prosecutors drop three of four charges against Sara Duterte, leaving only unexplained wealth; she says she will never resign
On Tuesday, October 13, the 39th day of the trial, the Senate impeachment court allowed House prosecutors to withdraw three of the four articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte (Inquirer, GMA News, Manila Times, ABS-CBN, Reuters). The article that stays is the unexplained-wealth charge (GMA News, Rappler). Defence lead counsel Sheila Sison objected that the withdrawal came after prosecutors had presented evidence and could lead to a mistrial (Inquirer, ABS-CBN), but the defence said it would still present its case (GMA News). Pangilinan asked the court to reverse its ruling (Manila Times). Duterte said she would never resign and plans to run for president in 2028 (Inquirer, GMA News, ABS-CBN, Philstar). The court released its November schedule, and the Manila Bulletin quoted Gatchalian as saying the defence presentation is slated for November 9.
The trial is now narrower. The senators no longer weigh four charges, only whether the Vice President’s wealth cannot be explained by her income. A mistrial argument, if the court takes it up, could reopen the question of whether the withdrawals were allowed.
The outcome decides who holds the second-highest office and shapes the 2028 race. For daily life nothing changes yet; the trial is in a break and the defence has not begun.
Prosecutors say focusing on the unexplained-wealth charge strengthens the case, and that the evidence rests on independent, verifiable facts.
The defence says the withdrawal is unfair and risks a mistrial, and Duterte says the cases are doomed to fail and the evidence was fabricated (Inquirer).
A narrower case is easier to prove and easier to challenge. Watch for any ruling on the mistrial argument and for what the defence says about the wealth figures when it begins in November. Treat the trust ratings as politics, not evidence.
DailyDrop Philippines edition No. 10 · Morning · WED., OCT. 14, 2026