MANILA — House impeachment prosecutors on Friday urged the Senate impeachment court to deliver a verdict in Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s trial before Christmas, saying the country needs closure after three years of investigations and proceedings.

Lead prosecutor Batangas Rep. Gerville “Jinky Bitrics” Luistro said the prosecution wanted a decision before the holidays, regardless of whether the senator-judges would convict or acquit Duterte.

“Sana naman bago mag-Pasko may verdict na regardless of whether it is conviction or acquittal,” Luistro said at a press briefing.

She rejected claims by Duterte spokesperson Paolo Panelo that calls for an early verdict were intended to announce a conviction during the Christmas season to temper public anger.

“The way they are commenting to the possible conclusion before Christmas, parang sigurado na sila na conviction ito, di ba?” Luistro said.

Luistro emphasized that the prosecution had no information about how the senator-judges would vote.

“Wala po kaming hint or information as to whether the senator-judges will be voting for conviction or acquittal,” she said.

She said the public deserved to see the outcome of the impeachment process, which began with congressional investigations into allegations involving confidential funds and bribery in 2024.

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, then chaired by Manila Rep. Joel Chua, conducted the investigations before impeachment proceedings followed in 2025. Duterte’s trial before the Senate is now underway in 2026.

“We’ve been dwelling on this for three years already,” Luistro said.

She said the prosecution withdrew three of the four impeachment articles partly to shorten the proceedings, leaving Article II, which concerns allegations of unexplained wealth.

Chua, also a House prosecutor, questioned why the defense would need 30 trial days to present its case when only one impeachment article remains.

“Kung titignan po natin doon sa pre-trial brief na kanila pong sinumite, ang hinihingi po nila ay 30 trial dates para po sa apat na article,” Chua said.

“Ngayon, tatlong article po dito ay hindi na i-discuss. So imposible naman po na ito ay aabutin pa ng 30 trial dates dahil isang article na lang po ang pinag-uusapan po natin,” he added.

Chua said Duterte’s defense had presented witnesses during four hearing days from Nov. 9 to 12. Two additional full-day sessions are scheduled for Nov. 19 and 20.

He said further hearings in December could provide the defense sufficient time to complete its presentation without using all 30 dates it initially requested.

The remaining charge involves allegations of unexplained wealth, including findings by prosecution witness and forensic accounting expert Alexander Cabrera of at least P817.87 million in allegedly undeclared assets and unexplained wealth from 2022 to 2025.

The prosecution also submitted records from the Anti-Money Laundering Council showing approximately P4.4 billion in reported transactions involving Duterte and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, from 2007 to 2025.

Luistro said a verdict would allow the country to put the controversy behind it, regardless of the outcome.

“And upon witnessing that verdict or judgment by the senator-judges, it is about time we have a closure at mag-move on na ang buong bansa sa napakaraming usaping ito,” she said.