Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero expressed his hope to conclude the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Duterte before Christmas or New Year. He stated, "In a perfect world, I wish the impeachment could be resolved, regardless of the outcome, before Christmas or New Year," during a recent briefing.
Escudero further emphasized that starting the new year without lingering issues would be preferable, instead of extending the impeachment proceedings into 2027. He wants the nation to enter a fresh chapter as the new year begins.
However, he clarified that there is no set timetable for the conclusion of the hearings, as it largely depends on the evidence presented by the defense and the proceedings themselves. He noted that the schedule released in October only covers hearings through November.
He remains optimistic that the presentation of evidence will accelerate in the coming days. "It’s hard to predict the exact end date; it depends on the evidence that the respondent will present and how the hearings unfold. The process can be slow at first but often speeds up, as we saw during the prosecution’s presentation of evidence," Escudero added.