ICYMI LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (September 29, 2026) - GMA Network

Lawyer Michael Wesley Poa, spokesperson for Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team, on Tuesday denied agreeing with Duterte's spokesperson Paolo Panelo, who described as a joke the Senate impeachment court's ruling on the basis for determining the voting threshold for her conviction.

Poa was referring to Panelo's remarks to reporters on September 23, when the latter said the impeachment court's ruling was a "joke" and claimed that Poa shared his sentiments.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte said he would not have allowed the city government to award P33 million worth of contracts to GenCorp. Industries Inc., if he had known that his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, had a business interest in the firm.

The mayor made the testimony on Tuesday at the impeachment trial of the Vice President as a hostile witness for the prosecution.

House prosecutor and San Juan Rep. Bel Zamora drew misogynistic remarks online after a clip of her cross-examining a witness during Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial went viral.

On Day 30 of the impeachment trial, Zamora conducted the direct examination on prosecution witness P/Maj. Jerikson Sangalang, chief of the Records Division of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday questioned the statements made by Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte over the business interests of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte.

Trillanes said all mayors in the Philippines could enter into contracts with their siblings and simply "feign ignorance" after the mayor's remarks during the Day 31 of the impeachment trial of his sister.  

The Senate impeachment court has admonished private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. over his previous public comments on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Tolosa confirmed this on Tuesday, saying the court urged him to exercise greater restraint in speaking about the impeachment case, although it did not impose a fine on him.

Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte said Tuesday that the 19 government contracts that the Davao City government granted to GenCorp. Industries Inc., a declared asset of his sister and Vice President Duterte, are "not too many."

The mayor, brother of Vice President Sara Duterte, made the testimony during Day 31 of the impeachment trial of the Vice President.

“19 [contracts] in a span of five years…I don’t think, hindi ganun karami, in the total volume,” the mayor said in his testimony during Day 31 of the impeachment trial of the Vice President after being asked by Senator judge Sherwin Gatchalian.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it is investigating a police corporal assigned in Region 13 over an alleged social media post concerning the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte.

At a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Allen Rae Co said authorities first need to verify whether the police officer himself made the said post or whether someone else used his name or account.

“If it will be proven that he was the one who posted this, this is a direct violation and a clear violation of our code of conduct and ethical standards,” Co said.

The Senate impeachment court on Tuesday did not issue a subpoena to former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV after the prosecution requested to present him as witness in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"The court shall not at this time issue the subpoena to former Senator Trillanes. However, the court cannot prevent the prosecution from calling him as a witness voluntarily," said Senate impeachment court presiding officer Francis "Chiz" Escudero said during Day 31 of the impeachment trial.

Several individuals staged a protest outside the Senate in Pasay City as the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte continued on Tuesday.

The protesters called for Duterte’s removal from office and urged the Vice President to explain the allegations raised against her, video taken by Mao dela Cruz of Super Radyo dzBB showed.

The Senate impeachment court scheduled the cross-examination of witnesses and submission of evidence regarding Duterte's alleged corporate connections and undisclosed assets on Tuesday.

It is currently hearing Article 2 of the Articles of Impeachment, which charges the vice president with acquiring unexplained assets.

The vice president's brother, Davao City Baste Duterte, took the witness stand on Tuesday.

The allegations center on inaccurate and incomplete disclosures in her and her spouse’s Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALNs) from 2022 through 2024, alongside a deliberate failure to divest from her ongoing business operations between 2022 and 2025. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News

The Senate impeachment court on Tuesday ruled that Vice President Sara Duterte cannot be compelled to admit that she owned bank accounts whose records were submitted in her impeachment trial.

The ruling came after the House prosecution panel withdrew its request for admission on Monday and instead asked the defense to agree to stipulations, or agreements, on the authenticity of the bank records.