By Dhel Nazario
The Senate impeachment court has formally scheduled the pre-trial conference in the case against Vice President Sara Duterte for June 18, marking a critical step before the trial proper begins.
In a notice issued Tuesday, June 9, Presiding Officer and acting Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian directed all parties to appear at 9 a.m. on June 18 at the Sen. Claro M. Recto Room inside the Senate building in Pasay City.
The conference will be conducted before the Secretary of the Senate, who serves as Clerk of the Impeachment Court.
The June 18 session will focus on key pre-trial matters, including stipulation of facts, simplification of issues, marking of evidence, identification of witnesses, and the scheduling of trial dates.
Both sides must submit their pre-trial briefs no later than June 15, outlining admitted facts, proposed stipulations, evidence lists, and witness testimonies.
The impeachment court emphasized that the June 18 proceedings will be closed to the media and public to allow parties and counsel the “widest freedom and latitude” in resolving pre-trial issues.
Failure to submit briefs on time or to attend the June 18 conference without valid justification may result in the waiver of certain rights, including the presentation of evidence or witnesses.
