Senate impeachment court lifts gag rule on withdrawn charges against Vice President Duterte

In a decision read by Senator-Judge Francis Escudero, the Senate impeachment court approved the prosecution’s move to drop three of the five articles filed against Vice President Sara Duterte, specifically the charges of misusing confidential funds, bribery and an alleged assassination plot. The court simultaneously lifted the sub judice Rule 18 for those withdrawn articles, granting the vice president, prosecutors and counsel the ability to address the allegations in public discourse.

Escudero warned that this freedom does not waive confidentiality safeguards on any evidence already presented, which must remain sealed and cannot be reproduced or disseminated. The court also limited the defense to presenting evidence only on Article 2, which alleges accumulation of unexplained wealth and breaches of asset-declaration rules, and confirmed that Rule 18 continues to apply to that pending charge. This ruling seeks to balance the right to public explanation with the protection of privileged material.