LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Aug. 17, 2026

Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team objected to the prosecution’s use of AI to “simulate” what P125 million in cash looks like

The matter was raised after the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte earlier was cut short following the announcement…

According to presiding officer and Senator-judge Francis “Chiz” Escudero during the 16th day of Duterte’s impeachment trial…

Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano was again marked absent on Monday from both the impeachment trial of Sara Duterte

The Senate impeachment court has granted one of the prosecution’s witnesses’ request not to attend the proceedings this week.

Gina Acosta, former special disbursing officer of VP Sara Duterte, was declared a hostile witness on the 16th day of the impeachment trial.

Former OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta has confirmed that four oblong-shaped traveling bags have been used to carry the P125M

The prosecution panel has given former special disbursing officer Gina Acosta the benefit of the doubt regarding contradictions…

An NDRRMC phone alert briefly interrupts the impeachment trial on Monday, August 17, during the prosecution’s direct examination of hostile witness Gina Acosta.Presiding Officer Francis Escudero reminded those in the courtroom to put their phones on silent to avoid further… pic.twitter.com/nQPNkeDHQs

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

‘BAHAGI BA NG TRABAHO NG SECURITY OFFICER ANG TUMANGGAP NG CONFIDENTIAL FUNDS?’Former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta told the impeachment court that security officer Col. Raymund Dante Lachica was tasked with receiving and implementing confidential funds, citing the… pic.twitter.com/FfD8L6uRU5

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Inclement weather  forced  the early suspension of  Vice President Sara Duterte’s  impeachment trial on Monday.

The impeachment trial adjourned early due to inclement weather.Proceedings will resume on Tuesday at 10 a.m., with the continuation of the prosecution’s direct examination of hostile witness Gina Acosta. #VPonTrialFollow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n​Watch… pic.twitter.com/FOlvN0eBVe

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan presents an AI-generated representation of four travel bags containing P125 million. “Do they look like this?” he asks. Former OVP SDO Gina Acosta says the bags they used did not have similar round openings but had straight openings… pic.twitter.com/mZ0n765S3K

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

‘BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE P125M IN COLD CASH’Atty. Amando Virgil Ligutan presented a simulated image of P125 million in cash and asked former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta to confirm whether it resembled the cash she had seen, explaining that the visual was used for… pic.twitter.com/vedkZOdblJ

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan shows former OVP SDO Gina Acosta a simulation of P1 million bundles. He asks: "Yung P1 million pesos kamukha ba ng bundle na ito?" Acosta says, "may similarity." #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ Follow our live updates here:… pic.twitter.com/vUtO0sP7RF

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: AI simulation of P125 million in cold cash Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan shares a simulation of what P125 million in cash would look like. He says the image was AI-generated."Because we don't have 125 million pesos in cold cash so we had to resort to technology,"… pic.twitter.com/7kgxVeYMus

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo lost his cool with Gina Acosta, who appeared to struggle to speak Filipino during the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo asks the impeachment court to compel former OVP SDO Gina Acosta to speak in Tagalog, noting that she spoke in Tagalog without difficulty during the November 2024 House panel hearing. #VPonTrialFollow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n… pic.twitter.com/S9LnG6nPT7

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Former OVP SDO Gina Acosta said she does not know whether former VPSPG chief Col. Raymund Lachica receives a salary from the Office of the Vice President, but she knows of an office order appointing him as the OVP’s security officer.Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan… pic.twitter.com/gxkc8YCZU6

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Sen. Erwin Tulfo questions OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta over what he described as her seemingly limited grasp of Tagalog.

Impeachment court declares Gina Acosta a hostile witness for the prosecution, allowing prosecutors to ask leading questions.Presiding Officer Francis Escudero clarifies that misleading questions are still now allowed. #VPonTrialFollow our live updates here:… pic.twitter.com/rIlQJCtAzz

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan was seen approaching and embracing defense counsel Kristine Ferrer before the impeachment trial resumed on Monday, August 17.The two clashed several times during the cross-examination of COA-ICFAO state auditor Xylene Del Campo last week.… pic.twitter.com/9otDCdvTgg

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

However, before he allowed the direct examination of Acosta, Escudero reminded Ligutan that the declaration of a hostile witness

LOOK: Former OVP SDO Gina Acosta confirms that former VPSPG chief Col. Raymund Lachica provided inputs and guidelines as she prepared the financial plan and liquidation documents for the OVP’s confidential funds.Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan asked whether the documents… pic.twitter.com/Zm7327snYB

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

‘TAMA NA PO ITONG PANLOLOKO SA ATIN’Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo urged the impeachment court to compel former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta to speak in either Tagalog or English, questioning why she was struggling to respond during the… pic.twitter.com/p7lqlAYVqe

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: “Tama na po itong panloloko sa atin. Please compel this witness to speak in Tagalog.” Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo asks Presiding Officer Francis Escudero to compel former OVP SDO Gina Acosta to speak in Tagalog, noting that she spoke in Tagalog during the Nov 2024 House… pic.twitter.com/89jgARA3e6

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Kapunan earlier said she was preventing herself from giving Ferrer a spanking and a lecture during last week’s trial

The prosecution’s eighth witness in Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, Marivic Pareja, was excused by the Senate impeachment court on Monday.

She was also presented to prove that the OVP  spent P375 million in confidential funds—all within three quarters

✅ LEADING QUESTIONS ALLOWEDThe impeachment court declares former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta a hostile witness.A hostile witness is considered unwilling or adverse to the party that called them—in this case, the prosecution. This allows the prosecution to ask… pic.twitter.com/8ZtH99e1tP

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

‘I KNOW ATTY. LIGUTAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE DISTINCTION’

The impeachment court declared former Office of the Vice President (OVP) Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta a ‘hostile witness’, with Presiding Officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero clarifying that Atty. Amando Virgil Ligtuan… pic.twitter.com/3aVg01b55W

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: "Misleading questions still not allowed."

Impeachment court declares former OVP SDO Gina Acosta as a hostile witness, which means prosecution may asks leading questions.

Presiding Officer Francis Escudero says, "This only gives Atty. Ligutan the right to ask leading… pic.twitter.com/DVtMge454Z

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan said Gina Acosta has an adverse interest in the case because she is facing a complaint alongside Vice President Sara Duterte over the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

Ligutan also pointed to Acosta’s counter-affidavit, where she said… pic.twitter.com/o4IfVm88S6

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Prosecution counsel Lorna Kapunan reaches across the aisle to hug defense counsel Kristine Ferrer as Duterte trial resumes Monday.

LOOK: Prosecution counsel Amando Ligutan introduced former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta as a hostile witness.

"The prosecution presents the first hostile witness in this impeachment trial… Ibig sabihin hindi po siya testigo pabor sa prosecution." #VPonTrial |… pic.twitter.com/avM7PlG5ge

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Former OVP Special Disbursing Officer Gina Acosta takes the stand as prosecution's witness for Article I or the alleged misuse of confidential funds. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n

Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/Gt6Gxm0dyY

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: House archives chief Marivic Pareja was excused after the defense stipulated to the matters she would have testified to, including the custody and identity of House records from the November 2024 House panel hearings on the confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd.… pic.twitter.com/0Vg9fupVS8

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: House Legislative Information Bureau Director Marivic Pareja takes the stand as prosecution's witness for Article I or the alleged misuse of confidential funds. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n

Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/IPdMiQjhYC

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Senator-judge Raffy Tulfo leads the opening prayer ahead of the continuation of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte today, Monday, August 17. #VPonTrial

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n

Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/0rJ1uVkEXH

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: DAY 16: The impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte resumes on Monday, August 17. A quorum has been declared, with 13 senator-judges present. #VPonTrial | @AprBenjaminINQ

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n

Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/kh7MRhm1NF

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

LOOK: Prosecution lawyer Lorna Kapunan seen approaching defense counsel Kristine Ferrer before the resumption of the Duterte impeachment trial on Monday, August 17. #VPonTrial

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/BkOJjTvi5n

Watch our livestream here:… pic.twitter.com/pu2E8rgL40

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) August 17, 2026

Sara Duterte impeachment trial enters Day 16 on Aug. 17, with the prosecution continues presentation of evidence related to Article 1.

Senate Impeachment Court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero is set to rule on Monday on the defense and prosecution’s use of social media posts related to the case.

VP Sara Duterte should be subject to the same sub judice rule as everyone involved in her impeachment trial, said Rep. Adiong.

House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers on Sunday criticized VP Sara Duterte’s continued absence from her own Senate impeachment trial.