LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Philippines VP Sara Duterte begins—Oct. 5, 2026

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 6 OCTOBER 2026 —

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial enters its 33rd day, with the House prosecution set to present Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura as it presents financial records and transactions involving Duterte, her husband Manases Carpio, and their business interests.

#VPonTrial Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF ‘SHOW THE RECORDS’ LOOK: Palace Press Officer Claire Castro challenged the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte to present documents disproving allegations that the China-funded donation to the Tapang at Malasakit Alliance ever existed. Castro’s remarks came after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV alleged that the foundation, where Duterte is listed as an incorporator, received a ₱150-million donation from the Chinese Embassy.

#VPonTrial READ MORE: https://t.co/gt8oKVmk7y Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura testified on covered and suspicious transaction reports involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Atty. Mans Carpio, during Day 33 of the impeachment trial on October 5 — the trial’s longest day so far. Here are the key developments.

#VPonTrial Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF “It’s been our longest day.” Presiding Officer Francis Escudero adjourned Day 33 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial at 7:02 p.m., after more than eight hours of proceedings that began at 10 a.m. The trial resumes October 6 at 10 a.m., with AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura returning to the witness stand for the continuation of the defense’s cross-examination.

#VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF "Dapat walang chilling effect." Senator-judge Risa Hontiveros said the media should not be indirectly threatened in carrying out its role of covering the impeachment proceedings. “Mali rin na, kahit indirectly, bantaan ang media sa pagganap ng kanilang esensiyal na tungkulin na i-cover ’yung mga proceedings na ito,” Hontiveros said.

“Dapat po walang chilling effect na either sadyang o di sadyang lilikhain sa hanay ng fourth estate,” she added.

#VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF ‘THIS GOES BEYOND THE IMPEACHMENT’ LOOK: Former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on Monday urged several government agencies to investigate allegations that Vice President Sara Duterte received money from what he described as a “hostile foreign country,” saying the issue carries serious national security implications and goes beyond the ongoing impeachment trial.

Trillanes made the call after prosecutors said his allegations could not simply be disregarded and must be examined. He urged agencies such as the Department of National Defense, National Security Council, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and National Bureau of Investigation to look into the matter.

#VPonTrial | 📸: Trillanes IV/ X Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dDALK Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9kyBd "Bring it to the Supreme Court." Senator-judge Francis Pangilinan raised concern that the defense’s discussion of possible criminal liability over the disclosure of AMLC records could eventually extend to the senator-judges.

"It leads us to think that maybe in the cross-examination, I don’t know, the defense counsel will raise the issue of the possible criminal liability of the senator judges," Pangilinan said. Pangilinan said the Senate presiding officer had already ruled on the issue and suggested that the defense bring any challenge to the Supreme Court. “If the defense wishes to raise this issue, bring it to the Supreme Court, perhaps,” he said.

He added that raising the issue of possible criminal liability or unauthorized disclosure during the impeachment proceedings “isn’t called for.” #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF “Turo ng nanay at tatay ko, ‘wag ikakalat ang tsismis” Senator-judge Alan Peter Cayetano likens the use of news reports as basis of suspicious transaction reports (STRs) without independent probe to spreading gossip.

#VPonTrial Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF “This is like reading volume 2 of a comic, I didn’t even see volume 1.” Senator-judge Pia Cayetano questions the use of news reports as basis of reporting suspicious transactions to the AMLC.

#VPonTrial Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dDALK Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9kyBd Defense counsel Sheila Sison asked the impeachment court to give the defense an “ample and meaningful opportunity” to cross-examine AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura. Sison said the prosecution spent the entire day examining the witness, while the defense had only about an hour of cross-examination, and had received the resubmitted AMLC data only over the weekend.

“We cannot be rushed in cross-examining this witness, Your Honor. That will not be fair,” Sison said. Prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia maintained that both sides had the same amount of time to review the documents and accused the defense of seeking to end the hearing early. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero then called a brief recess to consult the senator-judges.

#VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/pmMW7dD2Wc Watch our livestream here: https://t.co/no36s9k0LF "Pati media puwede makasuhan?" Defense counsel Mark Vinluan pointed to AMLA provisions on confidentiality, noting that media may face criminal liability for publishing or airing confidential AMLC information. He asked AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura if this meant that media could be held liable under the law.

Buenaventura answered: “Based on the law, it appears stated there.” Vinluan also noted that penalties for confidentiality breaches may include imprisonment and disqualification from public office.

Related: Manila, Philippines