Manila: The Senate impeachment court is set to make electronic records of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial accessible to the public via the Senate's official website, as announced by Presiding Officer Francis 'Chiz' Escudero on Monday. Escudero has instructed the Clerk of Court to develop web pages for posting pleadings, memoranda, motions, and other documents related to the trial, in line with the constitutional policy promoting public disclosure on matters of public interest.

According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero emphasized the importance of transparency, stating that the journal of proceedings would also be available online, but only after receiving approval from the impeachment court. He highlighted the constitutional directive under Article 2, Section 28, which supports public disclosure in matters involving public interest, and reiterated the court's commitment to openness in the proceedings.

Senator-judge Bam Aquino expressed his support for the initiative but stressed the need for a clear timeline to ensure timely public access. He cautioned that delayed uploads could undermine the purpose of making the records public. Escudero reassured him that the records, including the articles of impeachment and their annexes, along with the response and its annexes, had already been uploaded.

Escudero acknowledged the challenges posed by the volume of documents, which total over 10,000 records, but assured that preparations for online access were underway. He promised to update the senator-judges with a realistic timeline for real-time uploads by the end of the week, with the exception of journals requiring court approval.

Aquino sought clarification on whether all presented evidence would be uploaded in real-time, barring the journal of proceedings. Escudero confirmed that this was the plan, reinforcing the court's commitment to transparency and timely public access to the trial records.