The Senate impeachment court will allow both prosecution and defense panels in the case against Vice President Sara Duterte to present “reserved” witnesses not initially included in pre-trial lists, provided that proper notice is given to the opposing side, Senate officials said Monday.
Senate Secretary Rey Bantug said parties may still introduce additional witnesses during the trial as long as these are formally reserved during proceedings or later disclosed to the court.
He said the mechanism accounts for the possibility that some witnesses may not be available or identified during the pre-trial phase, despite being relevant to the case.
“Both parties are allowed to make reservations of witnesses that are not yet available or known to them at the time of the pre-trial conference,” Bantug said in an interview.
He added that while parties may present additional witnesses not listed in their pre-trial briefs, they must comply with disclosure requirements before doing so.
Under the court’s procedure, any party intending to present a previously undisclosed or so-called “surprise” witness must inform the opposing side at least three days before the witness takes the stand.
“So, it’s not surprise in its sense,” Bantug said, noting that the rule is intended to balance trial flexibility with fairness and preparation time for both sides.
He explained that the reservation system allows parties to preserve the option of calling additional witnesses without disrupting the structured nature of the impeachment proceedings.
Bantug also said he may continue to engage with the media during the trial but only on administrative and procedural matters, not on the merits of the case.