Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team must find a new first witness for her impeachment trial after former University of St. La Salle law dean Ralph Sarmiento declined to testify just four days before proceedings resume on November 9, 2026. Sarmiento announced his withdrawal in a video message on November 5, 2026, stating that taking the stand would compromise the independence of his constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of his legal opinions.
The Withdrawal of Ralph Sarmiento and the Defense Witness List
The Senate impeachment court confirmed on Thursday, November 5, 2026, that Duterte’s lawyers had filed two manifestations on November 4 seeking subpoenas for 25 witnesses. Presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero must approve the requests before hearings begin. Sarmiento, who served as law school dean until September 30, 2025, and is now the university’s vice chancellor for administration, asked the defense team to withdraw its request for a subpoena compelling his appearance.
Defense counsel and spokesperson Michael Poa stated that his team respected Sarmiento’s decision. The defense had planned to present the Bacolod City-based lawyer to testify on constitutional and legal principles relevant to Article II of the impeachment case, which centers on allegations of unexplained wealth.
Did You Know? The defense requested subpoenas for 25 witnesses across two filings on November 4, 2026, spanning bank executives, local government officials and accountants from the Davao Region, corporate counsels, and a law professor.
Prosecution Reactions to the Subpoena Strategy
Terry Ridon asserted that the defense should focus on financial documents rather than constitutional arguments. Ridon maintained that the trial next week will concentrate entirely on the defense against allegations concerning statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth, alongside bank and tax records examined by forensic financial analyst Alexander Cabrera.
Senate sets November dates to resume impeachment hearings
The impeachment trial was temporarily paused to give way to Senate committee hearings on the proposed 2027 national budget. Proceedings will resume on November 9, 2026, with the court allotting eight hearing days in November for the defense to present evidence through November 13, alongside dates scheduled for November 19, 20, and 23.
This follows the prosecution’s presentation of 28 witnesses across 13 hearing days from September 14 to October 12, 2026. On October 13, the prosecution withdrew three of the original four articles of impeachment, leaving the unexplained-wealth charge under Article 2 as the sole remaining basis of the trial.
Ralph Sarmiento defends decision to decline testimony
Why did Ralph Sarmiento decline to testify?
Sarmiento stated that taking the stand could compromise the independence of his constitutional law scholarship and the impartiality of his legal opinions, adding that he had not anticipated his social media views becoming part of the proceedings.
What is the sole remaining charge in the impeachment trial?
The prosecution withdrew three of the original four articles of impeachment on October 13, leaving the unexplained-wealth charge under Article 2 as the sole remaining basis of the trial.
When does the Senate impeachment court resume hearings?
The Senate impeachment court resumes hearings on November 9, 2026, when the defense team is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence.
How will the defense team adjust its witness presentation after losing its planned leadoff speaker?
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