Cross-examination of 2nd witness in impeach trial to resume on Tuesday

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team will continue its cross-examination of the House prosecution panel’s second witness on Tuesday, July 14, after senator-judges requested that proceedings resume the following day.

Senator-Judge Juan Miguel Zubiri issued the call past 8 p.m. during the fourth day of the impeachment trial while Duterte’s defense team—specifically one of the counsels, Atty. Mark Vinluan—was still in the middle of cross-examining National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc.

READ: WATCH: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | July 13, 2026

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“We appreciate the fastidiousness of the good counsel for the defendant on looking at all these particular issues, but due to the lateness of the hour and I’m being egged [on] by my colleagues here … may we request maybe counsel for defense or the body that we just adjourn tonight and continue tomorrow?” Zubiri said.

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READ: Zuleika Lopez among prosecution’s next witnesses in impeachment trial

Presiding Officer and Senator-Judge Francis “Chiz” Escudero, for his part, then asked Vinluan how long the cross-examination would further take, to which the lawyer responded that they were only “halfway” through.

“We’re not cutting short your time to cross-examine, we’re just simply inquiring if we can either wait for you to finish or continue tomorrow,” said Escudero.

Vinluan and the defense panel then agreed to a continuance of the trial on Tuesday.

With this, Escudero moved to adjourn the trial with a continuation of the cross-examination set for Tuesday—the same day Office of the Vice President chief of staff Zuleika Lopez is set to be presented by the prosecution panel as its third witness against Duterte. /cb

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