Tongol: Only matters presented before Impeachment Court should be basis of ruling

October 2, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Impeachment Court spokesperson Regie Tongol said former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV is free to speak, but only testimony and records presented before the Impeachment Court should count in the decision in Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial.

Tongol made the statement after Trillanes backed out as a prosecution witness and held a press conference where he made several allegations against Duterte that he said were relevant to her impeachment trial.

Tongol acknowledged that senator-judges would be hard pressed to avoid news reports about Trillanes’ statements.

“Yung ating mga senator-judges, siyempre we just have to have faith in them na only the evidence and the testimonies and the exhibits or documents presented before the impeachment court are the only ones na pagba-basehan nila ng kanilang decision doon sa ultimate question,” he said in a press briefing.

But he noted that there is no assessment tool to know if they would base their decision on extraneous factors.

Tongol also said that if the members of the prosecution panel think Trillanes’ disclosures should be included in their presentation, then they are free to call him to the witness stand in the coming days.

“The impeachment court will leave it up to them kung paano po maipapasok formally yung mga evidence na yun into the proceedings of the court so that the senator-judges would be able to take them in, consider them, and weigh them formally,” he said.

In withdrawing as a witness, Trillanes said he wanted to relieve the prosecution panel of pressure.

He also claimed the signal was clear that he was not welcome in the Impeachment Court.

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