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LATEST COMMENTARY

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FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

3-minute read

WHY WINNING DOES NOT END A VOTE-BUYING CASE

If a candidate has already won and been proclaimed, can a vote-buying case still cost them the position? The Supreme Court’s latest announcement on two Candijay, Bohol candidates shows why the election result does not settle everything.

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5-minute read

HOW THE NEXT CHIEF JUSTICE IS CHOSEN

The Judicial and Bar Council has finished interviewing candidates to succeed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, who is due to retire on November 6. GMA News reported the completed interviews on October 27. The interviews are one stage of a process that gives the President a choice, but also sets limits on who can be chosen and how the appointment is made.

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4-minute read

ABOUT COMPENSATION FOR WORK-RELATED HEAT ILLNESS

If someone becomes ill while working in extreme heat, the problem can continue after the shift ends: medical bills, missed work and uncertainty about where to ask for help. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced guidelines on October 23 for heat-illness claims under the existing Employees' Compensation Program (ECP).

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5-minute read

ABOUT BATO DELA ROSA’S ₱50-MILLION BOUNTY

The DILG announced a ₱50-million bounty for Senator Bato dela Rosa’s capture on October 23. The announcement came after months of talk about a possible reward—and days after Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said authorities knew dela Rosa was in Mindanao and were negotiating for his turnover.

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Afternoon6-minute read

ABOUT THE OVP’S 2027 BUDGET AFTER A 16-MINUTE SENATE HEARING

The Office of the Vice President’s proposed budget moved through a Senate panel today in 16 minutes. Vice President Sara Duterte was absent; her chief of staff answered for the office. Yesterday’s MCT explainer looked at parliamentary courtesy. Today’s question is what that short hearing actually did to the spending plan, and what it left for the Senate to examine.

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Afternoon6-minute read

ABOUT THE EDSA BUSWAY’S 2027 BUDGET GAP

The Department of Transportation is again asking Congress to fund the EDSA Busway. Its original ₱1.756 billion request received zero in the administration’s proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program. A House budget panel later inserted ₱75 million. Those two statements describe different stages of the same budget process. Neither tells us yet what Congress will finally approve.

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Afternoon7-minute read

ABOUT DECLARING AN AMBASSADOR PERSONA NON GRATA

Several lawmakers want Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan sent home. The Chinese Embassy has challenged them to follow through. That exchange leaves an ordinary reader with a reasonable question: if our own officials say an ambassador should leave, why is he still here?

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7:23 AM5-minute read

ABOUT LINO CAYETANO AND THE CHANGE AT THE PCO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on October 11 that Lino Cayetano would replace Dave Gomez at the Presidential Communications Office. He said Gomez had been bypassed by the Commission on Appointments and that the change would be formalized when they returned from Singapore.

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6:10 PM4-minute read

ABOUT THE DISPUTE OVER CHANGING THE ORDER OF IMPEACHMENT WITNESSES

The argument at Thursday’s impeachment hearing was about which witness the prosecution could present next. It began with an absent lawyer and became a dispute over preparation and notice. Understanding the exchange helps explain why a courtroom can pause even when the parties, documents and another potential witness are already in the building.

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3:01 PM3-minute read

ABOUT MARK VILLAR’S MOVE TO THE SENATE MAJORITY

Senator Mark Villar has formally left the Senate minority and joined the majority. The October 8 move strengthens the bloc supporting the chamber’s leadership and gives Villar two significant positions. Its implications for Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, however, require more than counting political allies.

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9:56 AM4-minute read

ABOUT THE MANAGER’S CHECKS AND THE QUESTIONS OVER SARA DUTERTE’S SALN

A bank balance can fall even when the value represented by the money has not disappeared. That distinction sits behind the prosecution’s questions about manager’s checks in Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial. To understand the October 7 testimony, we need to follow the instrument, the person entitled to its value and the declaration of assets for the relevant year.

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9:08 PM3-minute read

ABOUT WHAT COA’S REJECTION OF THE OVP APPEAL MEANS

COA has rejected the request to reconsider the ₱73.287-million disallowance involving the Office of the Vice President’s December 2022 confidential expenses. The October 5 resolution became public on October 7. Its significance is easier to understand when the amount, the audit finding and the available legal remedies are kept separate.

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7:47 AM3-minute read

ABOUT WHAT BANK SECRECY PROTECTS IN AN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

The arguments over bank records in Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial involve several protections. The privacy of a peso deposit, the protection of a foreign-currency deposit, and the confidentiality of a report sent to the AMLC come from different rules. Understanding those differences helps explain what the court has allowed and what remains in dispute.

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8:43 AM8-minute read

ABOUT THE AMLC RECORDS IN SARA DUTERTE’S IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

₱4.4 billion is a figure that can dominate a conversation before anyone asks what it counts. AMLC Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura presented that approximate total in the Senate impeachment court on October 5, covering reported transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband, Manases Carpio. He also explained that a bank correction had reduced the earlier figure of ₱6.7 billion.

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6:44 PM5-minute read

ABOUT THE COINS.PH CASH-IN RESTRICTION AND WHAT USERS SHOULD CHECK

If you use Coins.ph to receive money or pay bills, a failed cash-in can disrupt plans for the day. Coins.ph has announced that some incoming peso services are temporarily unavailable following a BSP directive to improve its internal controls. Its advisory also identifies services that existing customers can still use.

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12:00 PM5-minute read

ABOUT THE PROPOSED RULES ON SECONDHAND PHONES

A secondhand phone can put a useful device within reach of someone who cannot afford a new one. The problem comes when the buyer has no clear information about where it came from, what condition it is in, or who will fix it if it fails.

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8:35 PM6-minute read

ABOUT THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION ON THE IMPEACHMENT VOTE THRESHOLD

The Supreme Court dismissed three petitions on September 30 challenging how the Senate impeachment court would count the votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. The dismissal leaves the Senate’s September 23 ruling in place, but it needs to be read carefully. A case can be dismissed because it does not meet the requirements for the Court to hear it, without settling whether the challenged action is constitutional.

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6:12 AM6-minute read

ABOUT WHAT BASTE DUTERTE SHOULD HAVE CHECKED AS MAYOR

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte told the Senate impeachment court on September 29 that he had been unfamiliar with GenCorp Industries Inc. before it came up in the proceedings. He also said he did not know about Vice President Sara Duterte’s declared business interest in the company.

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10:45 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE OCTOBER WATER-RATE INCREASES

Metro Manila households served by Maynilad and Manila Water will see slightly higher water charges beginning October 1. The announced increases are small for many residential customers, but the figures vary by concessionaire and consumption level. That makes it easy to misunderstand a notice expressed only in centavos per cubic meter.

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7:21 AM6-minute read

ABOUT THE NOTE HANDED TO GIBO TEODORO IN SEOUL

Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. was answering questions at the Seoul Defense Dialogue on September 8 when a man handed him a note. He read it aloud, challenged its rejection of the 2016 South China Sea ruling and objected to being interrupted that way.

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9:55 AM8-minute read

ABOUT EL NIÑO AND PREPARING FOR LESS RAIN

It can be raining outside while PAGASA warns about El Niño. That can sound confusing when the immediate problem is a wet road or a flooded field. The two warnings describe different periods: the weather happening now and the rainfall conditions that may develop over the coming months.

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5:30 AM8-minute read

ABOUT THE NEW ARREST WARRANTS AGAINST ZALDY CO, MARTIN ROMUALDEZ AND TWO OTHERS

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of Zaldy Co, Martin Romualdez and two other accused in the plunder case filed on September 7. By Monday evening, authorities had served Romualdez's warrant and carried out booking procedures at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan. His arrest is a confirmed development; it does not establish that his three co-accused are also in custody.

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3:15 PM8-minute read

ABOUT THE PLUNDER CASE AGAINST MARTIN ROMUALDEZ

The Office of the Ombudsman filed a plunder case against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez at the Sandiganbayan on September 7 over his alleged involvement in flood-control kickbacks. The accusations have now reached the court that will handle the criminal case. Romualdez denies wrongdoing and remains presumed innocent.

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1:18 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE NEW SWS POVERTY NUMBERS

Self-rated poverty and food poverty declined in June, but the figures also show how many Filipino families remain under pressure and why lower household budgets do not necessarily mean life became cheaper.

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2:02 PM11-minute read

ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY ACT

House Bill No. 9965 would bar children below 13 from having social media accounts, require parental consent for users aged 13 to 17, regulate platform algorithms, and impose fines reaching P50 million. It is still being deliberated in the House.

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12:02 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE SEALED BIR BOX

Marcos authorized the BIR to comply with the Senate subpoena. That did not open the records to the public or prove the unexplained-wealth allegation.

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July 30, 2026 · 2:20 PM7-minute read

ABOUT THE REJECTED PLAN TO CHANGE SARA DUTERTE’S TRIAL ORDER

The impeachment court kept the prosecution-first format after Duterte’s defense rejected an article-by-article presentation.

The Senate impeachment court considered changing the order in which the prosecution and defense present evidence in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Under the proposal, the prosecution would present one impeachment article, followed immediately by the defense’s answer to that same article. The court would repeat the process for the remaining charges.

House prosecutors agreed. Duterte’s defense did not, arguing that the trial should follow the order already approved before the presentation of witnesses began.

The impeachment court kept the original arrangement on July 29. Prosecutors moved from Article IV, which covers Duterte’s alleged threats, to Article I, which covers the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

The proposal is no longer being followed, but the debate raised several questions. Could the court change the order? Would that make the trial shorter? Could senator-judges vote after finishing only one article?

Here are five things to know.

1

THE ORIGINAL ORDER PUTS THE ENTIRE PROSECUTION CASE FIRST

The pretrial order gave the prosecution 62 trial days to present evidence on all four impeachment articles. Duterte’s defense received 30 trial days, which would begin after prosecutors finished their entire case.

The prosecution started with Article IV. It completed its presentation in nine of the 11 days allotted for that charge, then moved to Article I on July 29.

This means Duterte’s lawyers may cross-examine prosecution witnesses as they testify, but their own witnesses and evidence will come later. Under the current order, the defense will begin its full presentation only after prosecutors have covered all four articles.

WHAT TO WATCH

The number of allotted days is a ceiling, not a promise that every day will be used. Watch how many witnesses the prosecution drops and how often the court finishes a section earlier than planned because those changes will have more effect on the trial calendar than the original 92-day estimate.

2

THE PROPOSAL WOULD HAVE COMPLETED ONE ARTICLE AT A TIME

The proposed order would have worked like this: prosecutors present Article IV, the defense answers Article IV, and both sides finish that charge before anyone moves to Article I.

Supporters said this would allow the defense to answer evidence while it was still fresh. It could also make the trial easier for the public to follow because the arguments and evidence for each charge would appear closer together.

The proposed arrangement would not remove any charge, witness, defense, or right to cross-examine. It would only change when the defense presents its own evidence.

It also would not automatically cut the number of witnesses or trial days. A different order may make the proceedings easier to follow without making each presentation shorter.

WHAT TO WATCH

The proposal could return if the parties reconsider and the impeachment court issues a new order. Any future claim that the trial order has changed should be checked against an actual ruling from the court, rather than comments made during interviews.

3

THE DEFENSE REFUSED TO CHANGE THE PRETRIAL AGREEMENT

The prosecution formally agreed to the article-by-article plan on July 28. The defense declined and asked the court to retain the pretrial order.

Duterte’s lawyers argued that changing the sequence after the trial had begun would alter agreements already reached by both sides. They also raised due-process concerns about adding arrangements that were not included in the approved order.

The impeachment court then kept the prosecution-first format. Presiding Officer Francis Escudero announced that prosecutors would continue presenting all their evidence before the defense opened its own case.

The defense did not gain a permanent veto over all possible changes. The Senate has the sole constitutional power to try impeachment cases, and the impeachment court controls its proceedings.

For this proposal, however, the court sought an agreement from both sides. When that agreement did not happen, the existing order remained in force.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for written motions or court orders seeking another change in the trial calendar. A request from either side does not change the procedure on its own because the impeachment court must approve it.

4

SENATOR-JUDGES CANNOT VOTE AFTER FINISHING ONLY ONE ARTICLE

An article-by-article presentation would not produce an article-by-article verdict while the rest of the trial was still underway.

The Senate’s impeachment rules say the trial of all impeachment articles must be completed before senator-judges vote on the final question. Voting then takes place separately for each article.

For example, finishing both sides’ presentations on Article IV would close the evidence for that charge. Senator-judges would still have to hear the remaining three articles before casting their votes.

That rule prevents an early verdict based on whichever article happens to come first. It also allows senator-judges to consider the complete case before deciding any charge.

WHAT TO WATCH

Watch for any formal attempt to amend or suspend the rule requiring all four articles to be tried before voting. Until the Senate impeachment court orders otherwise, finishing one article does not authorize an immediate verdict.

5

ONE GUILTY VOTE ON ONE ARTICLE IS ENOUGH FOR CONVICTION

After all four articles have been tried, senator-judges will vote on each one separately.

The Constitution requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all Senate members for conviction. With 24 Senate seats, that means 16 guilty votes.

Duterte does not need to be convicted on all four articles. Reaching 16 guilty votes on one article is enough to convict and remove her from office.

The separate votes allow senator-judges to reject some accusations while accepting another. A senator may conclude that the evidence fails on the confidential-funds charge but reaches the required level on the threats charge, or the other way around.

WHAT TO WATCH

The constitutional requirement is based on all Senate members, so absences do not lower the number needed for conviction. Watch the final voting instructions as well because removal and possible disqualification from future public office may require separate action by the impeachment court.

BOTTOM LINE

The article-by-article proposal could have allowed Duterte’s defense to answer each charge sooner. It would not have allowed senator-judges to issue an early verdict, and it offered no automatic reduction in the number of trial days. The defense refused to change the pretrial order, so the prosecution-first arrangement remains. The more useful question now is how much of its 62-day allocation the prosecution will actually use, and how firmly the court will keep both sides focused on evidence that helps decide the four charges.

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