The Senate impeachment court handling the case of Vice President Sara Duterte will allow both the House prosecution panel and the defense team to present “surprise” witnesses, even after they submit their respective witness lists and evidence, Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr., who serves as clerk of court, said. Bantug explains that the parties retain the right to reserve witnesses that may not yet be available during pre-trial. Under the court’s procedure, the parties must notify the other side at least three days before calling a reserved witness to appear at the scheduled hearing. The announcement indicates that the impeachment proceedings continue to follow rules that balance prepared pre-trial disclosures with flexibility for circumstances where additional witnesses become available later. The court’s approach, as described across the outlets, applies to both sides of the case, ensuring that the prosecution and the defense can each call witnesses not included in earlier submissions, provided they meet the required notice period before the witness takes the stand.