Prosecution drops bribery case vs VP Sara

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution panel for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will no longer present its bribery case in order to further expedite the proceedings. 

House prosecutor and Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said they have already filed the manifestation to drop the bribery charge, which is under Article III of the Articles of Impeachment, before the Senate impeachment court on Oct. 6. 

He explained the decision to drop the charge “had nothing to do with the strength of the case,” but on the prosecution’s general timetable for its presentation of evidence.

“It no longer fits into the timetable we set for ourselves,” Flores, who leads the team on the bribery case, said.

With this, the prosecution will end its presentation of evidence with its case on Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth. 

It initially requested eight trial dates to present its bribery case and listed four potential witnesses, including those who allegedly received or were offered bribe money from Duterte’s office in the Department of Education.

These include former DepEd undersecretary Gloria Jumamil-Mercado and former bids and awards committee chair Resty Osias.

The bribery charge stemmed from the admission of then-DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda, who claimed that when Duterte was department secretary, she ordered him to give cash to school superintendents through their bank accounts.

Mercado likewise admitted that she received envelopes containing money – supposedly from Duterte – in September 2024. She said she saw it as a means to influence her since she used to be DepEd’s head of procuring entity. 

The prosecution has so far finished presenting Article I which covers Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds from DepEd and the Office of the Vice President; and Article IV which tackles the alleged grave threats against ranking government officials.

It is currently wrapping up its presentation of evidence for Article II on the supposed unexplained wealth and non-disclosure in Duterte’s statement of assets, liabilities and net worth.

Trial resumes Monday

Meanwhile, Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial will resume on Monday for the cross-examination of the prosecution’s final witness.

Presiding officer Francis Escudero adjourned yesterday’s proceedings with no rulings other than setting the Monday schedule and reminding financial forensic analyst Alexander Cabrera to return for cross-examination. 

House prosecutor Chel Diokno confirmed that Cabrera is the final witness for the prosecution’s “case-in-chief.” — Neil Jayson Servallos