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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Tapos na ang boksing?': Abante gives fearless forecast of VP Duterte trial result

'Tapos na ang boksing?': Abante gives fearless forecast of VP Duterte trial result

Published Aug 15, 2026 11:56 pm

At A Glance

  • Rep. Bienvenido "Benny" Abante declares Vice President Sara Duterte already guilty after 15 hearing days, citing her alleged death threats as betrayal of public trust.
  • He notes the prosecution has finished presenting evidence on the threats article and is now focusing on confidential fund misuse, with witnesses from NBI and COA already testifying.
  • Abante vows to be more active in the trial, planning to attend daily sessions to personally observe the proceedings.
Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte
Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. (left), Vice President Sara Duterte


After only 15 hearing dates in Vice President Sara Duterte's Senate impeachment trial, Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. is ready to call the eventual result.
“Guilty na siya (She's already guilty). I think that what the prosecution team has actually said is enough,” Abante said in his fearless forecast of sorts Saturday, Aug. 15 during a news forum in Quezon City.
It should be noted that Abante, a pastor-preacher, endorsed one of the four impeachment complaints filed against Vice President Duterte this year. So obviously, this was the result that he wanted.
Vice President Duterte's conviction via impeachment trial is being sought over her offices' alleged misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds; untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities, and net worth; unexplained wealth; and death threats to President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
Out of these four allegations or articles of impeachment, then 26-strong prosecution panel has already finished its presentation of evidence for article I, or the death threats article.
For Abante, the particular article already provided the proverbial smoking gun against the respondent.
"Yung threat lang na ibinigay ng Vice President (The threat the Vice President made) that is already enough. It is betrayal of public trust," noted the veteran solon from Manila.
Currently, the prosecution team is laying out its proof that the respondent misused millions worth of confidential funds released to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and Department of Education (DepEd) from December 2022 to the third quarter of 2023.
Abante said his position was based on the matters he had seen raised in the House and subsequently presented in the Senate trial.
For him, the proceedings must continue until the evidence has been fully heard and the senator-judges reach a conclusion.
The prosecution has so far presented the testimonies of witnesses from the National Bureau of Investigation in connection with the grave threats issue and two state auditors of the Commission on Audit (COA) in relation to the alleged confidential fund misuse.
Abante to become more active 
Next week, the prosecution has lined up among its witnesses officials linked to the withdrawal and handling of the funds, particularly OVP special disbursing officer (SDO) Gina Acosta and former DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda.
Abante shared during the forum that he intends to take a more active interest in the proceedings.
“The thing is, I am just a silent participant in the impeachment trial. Pero ako, magiging aktibo na ako dito (But me, I plan to be more active here),” he added.
“In fact, balak ko na talagang mag-attend araw-araw sa impeachment trial para makita ko talaga ang nangyayari,” he noted.
(My plan is really to attend the impeachment trial every day so I can see for myself what is happening.)

Related Tags

Guilty Sara Duterte Bienvenido \"Benny\" Abante impeachment
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