On Tuesday, October 13, the 39th day of the trial, the House prosecution asked the Senate impeachment court to let it drop three of the four articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, and the court allowed it (Inquirer, GMA News, Rappler). What remains is the allegation of unexplained wealth and nondisclosure of assets (Inquirer). The court adjourned until November 9, with several full-day hearings scheduled that month (Manila Times). On Wednesday, Manila Rep. Joel Chua and another prosecutor said the articles were dropped because they believed the defence would only try to delay the trial, and the panel called its one-article case a risk worth taking (Inquirer, GMA News). Duterte’s camp said the move shows the dropped allegations lacked basis, and her spokesperson said she was denied a chance to clear her name (GMA News, Philstar). Duterte said she will never resign, and Malacañang said the decision is hers (Rappler, GMA News).
A conviction would remove a vice president from office, and the case now rests on a single charge. The narrowing shortens the trial, but it also takes the other allegations out of the senators’ vote, and reports conflict on whether the dropped articles can ever be revived.
For most readers nothing changes in daily life this week. If you follow the case, expect the hearings from November 9 to turn on the unexplained-wealth evidence and on whether the defence calls witnesses. Police in Metro Manila have been told to watch for rallies, so check local advisories if you travel near likely protest sites.
Prosecutors say a leaner case avoids delay tactics and keeps the trial on the one charge they say is worth the risk.
Duterte’s camp says the withdrawal admits that the other allegations lacked basis and that the money spent on them was wasted.
The trial is shorter, but the stakes are unchanged. Watch three things: whether any senator moves to revive the dropped articles, what the evidence shows at the November hearings, and whether the ₱500-million claim is corrected as Lacson demands.
Inquirer, GMA News, Rappler, Manila Times, Philstar, BusinessWorld, Manila Bulletin, Panay News, Politiko (Oct 13-14, 2026)
Senate impeachment court lets prosecutors drop three of four articles against Sara Duterte; the House team calls the unexplained-wealth charge “a risk worth taking,” and she says she will “never resign”Senate impeachment court lets prosecutors drop three of four articles against Sara Duterte; the House team calls the unexplained-wealth charge “a risk worth taking,” and she says she will “never resign”
The court agreed to the narrowing on Tuesday, then adjourned the trial until November 9. Malacañang said it respects the prosecution’s “strategy” and will not interfere if she stays in office.
The Senate, sitting as the impeachment court, on Tuesday, October 13, the 39th day of the trial, allowed the House prosecution panel to withdraw three of the four articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte. The allegation of unexplained wealth and nondisclosure of assets is now the only basis for the trial (Inquirer, GMA News, Rappler). The day was meant to be spent scheduling the remaining proceedings; instead the prosecution made a surprise request to focus on Article 2, and Rappler asked how Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero could rule so fast on it (GMA News, Rappler). The court then adjourned until November 9, with several full-day hearings scheduled through that month (Manila Times). On Wednesday, Manila Rep. Joel Chua and another prosecutor said the three articles were dropped because they believed the defence would only try to delay the trial, and the panel said resting its case on one article is “a risk worth taking” (Inquirer, GMA News). A private prosecutor added that testimony already given on the withdrawn articles may still be used in the complaints pending against Duterte before the Ombudsman (GMA News).
Duterte’s camp said the withdrawal admits that the allegations “lacked basis,” and her spokesperson said it denied her the chance to clear her name (GMA News, Philstar). The camp also said about ₱500 million was wasted on the dropped charges; Sen. Panfilo Lacson called the figure misleading and said it reflects the Senate’s regular operating expenses rather than the cost of the trial (BusinessWorld, Inquirer, GMA News). Duterte herself said, “I will not resign. I will never resign” (Rappler, Philstar). Her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, criticised prosecutors for abandoning accusations after months of attacking her in public (Manila Times), and Makabayan groups decried the dropping of the confidential funds charge (Philstar). Malacañang replied that nobody will interfere with her decision to stay and that it respects the prosecution’s strategy (GMA News, Manila Times). Surveys give mixed readings. Pulse Asia’s September poll of 2,400 adults found 51 percent want her to testify in person (GMA News, Inquirer, Philstar), while a PUBLiCUS Asia poll taken October 1 to 4 found 44 percent of registered voters expect a conviction and 31 percent an acquittal (Manila Times, BusinessWorld). An SWS survey commissioned by the Stratbase Group put her trust rating at 56 percent, against 36 percent for President Marcos (Manila Times, Inquirer, Philstar). The head of the NCRPO told Metro Manila police to stay alert for rallies (Inquirer, Manila Bulletin). Whether the dropped articles can be revived is unsettled: one report quotes Escudero as saying senators can challenge the withdrawal, another quotes the court’s spokesperson as saying two cannot be refiled (Panay News, Politiko). A conviction would remove Duterte from office; DailyDrop has not seen a date for a vote.