The House of Representatives prosecution panel has officially shifted its strategy in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, opting to abandon three out of four original charges. During Tuesday’s session, lead prosecutor Gerville Luistro announced that the panel will drop allegations related to bribery, grave threats, and the misuse of confidential funds. Instead, the prosecution will focus exclusively on the charge of unexplained wealth, citing evidence that suggests Duterte failed to account for approximately P817.87 million in assets between 2022 and 2025. According to Luistro, this streamlined approach is intended to accelerate the trial process while relying on what the panel describes as a highly compelling body of evidence sufficient to secure a conviction.

The defense team, led by Sheila Sison, has sharply criticized the maneuver, labeling it a "very strange" and unfair tactical shift. Sison argued that after 38 days of court proceedings, it is unjust for the prosecution to suddenly narrow its scope, effectively preventing the Vice President from formally refuting the accusations of bribery and fund mismanagement in an open forum. By restricting the case solely to the financial accumulation charge, the defense contends that the prosecution is attempting to pivot after failing to adequately support their broader claims, leaving the Vice President unable to clear her name on the dropped counts.