LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Oct. 5, 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.
READ: ICYMI: Sara Duterte impeachment trial Week 13 highlights
Key developments:
- Today’s proceedings form part of of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence for Article II, which accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth and failing to fully disclose her and her spouse’s assets, liabilities and net worth.
- Buenaventura previously appeared before the House committee on justice during its hearings on the impeachment complaints, where he testified about billions of pesos worth of transactions involving Duterte and Carpio.
- The prosecution is expected to use AMLC records to support its case concerning Duterte’s alleged unexplained wealth.
- Representatives from Land Bank of the Philippines, Asia United Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Philippine National Bank and BDO Unibank are also expected to testify today.
- The prosecution also plans to present representatives from Prudential Life, Allianz, Manufacturers Life, FWD Life, BPI-AIA Life, BDO Securities and BDO Life. /dp
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WATCH: AMLC exec takes oath as prosecution witness in Duterte trial
‘THAT’S 5.7 PERCENTAGE POINTS MORE THAN YUNG 80 NA NAKUHA NUNG KAKILALA NAMIN’
Atty. Mae Divinagracia compared AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura’s 85.75 bar rating with an unnamed person known to her and Atty. Mark Vinluan, whom she said received 80 percent.
In an impeachment proceeding in July, Vinluan raised Vice President Sara Duterte’s legal background, including her 80 percent bar rating on her first attempt. #VPonTrial
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Defense counsel Mark Vinluan questioned a prosecution slide, saying it appeared to anticipate a specific example later raised by AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura in his testimony.
“The witness in his testimony pertained to specific factual or a specific example that is hard for anyone to have predicted unless there was a prior correspondence between the person who prepared that slide and the witness himself,” he says.
“We are not accusing anyone of anything… We just want to put it on for the record, Your Honor, that the slides seem to be anticipating what the witness is already talking about,” Vinluan says. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
Escudero reminds impeach parties to practice civility, professionalism
Raffy Tulfo wants impeachment court spox Tongol admonished over blunders
WATCH: Tulfo wants impeachment court spokesperson Tongol warned
WATCH: Escudero urges prosecution, defense to stay focused, respectful
LOOK: AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura said being a lawyer is among the requirements for his position. He said he took the Bar in 2015, received his results in 2016, and placed 10th with a rating of 85.7%.
“That’s 5.7 percentage points more than ‘yung 80 percentage points na nakuha ng kakilala namin ni Atty. Vinluan,” says prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia.
Vinluan objected and moved to strike the remark, saying: “I don’t think that’s relevant.”
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero sustained the objection. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
‘WALANG TINATAGO ANG BISE PRESIDENTE’
Atty. Mark Vinluan moved to exclude AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura’s testimony, arguing it would violate confidentiality and disclosure rules.
Presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero, however, ruled to allow the testimony despite the objection. #VPonTrial
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LOOK: Presiding Officer Francis Escudero denied the defense’s motion to exclude AMLC Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura, ruling that AMLC reports are not absolutely immune from compulsory process. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Defense counsel Mark Vinluan moved to exclude AMLC official Ronel Buenaventura’s testimony, arguing that the Anti-Money Laundering Act prohibits the disclosure of confidential information. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia offered the testimony of AMLC official Ronel Buenaventura to support its allegations of unexplained and suspicious transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband Mans Carpio.
Among the key points cited by the prosecution:
#VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: AMLC official Director Ronel Buenaventura told the impeachment court that his testimony on the subpoenaed AMLC reports does not violate the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Presiding Officer Francis Escudero said the court, after reviewing the records in camera, found no procedural confidentiality that would prevent the AMLC from providing the reports.
Asked if his testimony violated any provision of Republic Act No. 9160, as amended, Buenaventura said: “No, Your Honor.”
Buenaventura acknowledged the law’s confidentiality provisions but said the AMLC’s internal rules allow it to comply with orders from competent courts.
“We are complying with our internal rules, the law, and the order of this court,” he said.
He cited the AMLC’s 2022 Information Exchange Guidelines, which he said cover the matter and allow the disclosure pursuant to orders from competent courts. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Secretariat Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura takes the stand as prosecution’s witness for Article II, which alleges unexplained wealth. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo asked Presiding Officer Francis Escudero to admonish the impeachment court’s spokesperson Regie Tongol over statements about the trial’s projected timeline.
Tulfo said the spokesperson had repeatedly given information to the media that senators-judges themselves did not know, including reports that the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could reach a final verdict by December 16.
“Maybe it’s about time na para i-admonish siya kasi this is not the first time. Marami na siyang beses na sumablay, pumalpak, paulit-ulit na lang,” Tulfo says. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
‘LET THE ARGUMENTS BE FORCEFUL BUT NEVER PERSONAL’
Presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero opens Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Monday, Oct. 5, reminding both lawyers and non-lawyers to respect one another and uphold the integrity of the proceedings.
“Medyo maikli na ang pasensya ng karamihan; naguumapaw ang galit, poot, at inis. Subalit, hindi tayo puwedeng mawalan ng loob sa ating ginagampanang tungkulin. Hindi tayo puwedeng pumatol,” he added. “We will be focused on our job at hand, that is to try and decide this impeachment case based on evidence with justice and fairness.” #VPonTrial
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: Presiding Officer Francis Escudero reminded everyone involved in the impeachment trial to remain civil as tensions rise.
“The justice system cannot function effectively when the professionals charged with administering it cannot even be polite to one another.”
Escudero says, “The chair understands that patience is wearing thin, tensions are running high, and tempers are beginning to fray. But we must not lose sight of our common purpose.”
“Our duty is not to prevail over one another, but to assist this court in the fair and orderly administration of justice,” he says.
Escudero adds, “We shall not be distracted nor detracted by the rantings or tantrums of anyone inside or outside this courtroom, because at the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not about any one of us here.”
“Rather, it is about the country, our people, accountability, justice, and fairness.” #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
LOOK: DAY 33: The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes on Monday, October 5.
A quorum has been declared, with 14 senator-judges present. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
‘UMUWI MUNA SIYA BAGO SIYA MAGMAJORITY’
WATCH: Sen. Ping Lacson says Sen. Loren Legarda is welcome to join them in the Majority bloc but said she has to return first. #VPonTrial | @bellepechayINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
‘WE HAVE ABSOLUTE FAITH IN THE FIRST THREE ARTICLES’
WATCH: House prosecutor Rep. Terry Ridon belies claims that the bribery charges are “weak.” He says the decision to drop it is in the interest of speeding up the trial against Vice President Sara Duterte.
Asked whether the decision was already made final, Ridon says we will have to wait for the formal manifestation before the impeachment court. #VPonTrial | @bellepechayINQ
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— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) October 5, 2026
WATCH: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Oct. 5, 2026
VP Trial Day 33: AMLC exec to testify on Duterte’s financial records
Prosecution to drop bribery charge vs Sara Duterte
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