Lawmakers: Filipinos await Sara Duterte reply to charges

Many Filipinos are waiting to hear Vice President Sara Duterte directly address the impeachment charges against her as her Senate trial approaches, House prosecutors said on Sunday, arguing that the proceedings would provide her the opportunity to answer accusations she has so far largely avoided confronting.

Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said the impeachment trial would allow Duterte to rebut allegations of corruption, misuse of public funds and constitutional violations that prompted the House of Representatives to impeach her and transmit the case to the Senate.

READ: Diokno: Filipinos eager for Duterte’s response to impeachment case

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“The people have long been waiting for this,” Diokno told dzBB radio in Filipino. “The impeachment case began in the House committee on justice, and until now we are still waiting for what the Vice President herself will say about it.”

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Duterte, 48, was impeached by the House on May 11 after 257 lawmakers endorsed the articles of impeachment accusing her of misusing confidential funds, bribing officials to bypass procurement rules, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening to have President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if she was assassinated.

The Vice President has denied wrongdoing through her allies and legal team but has yet to publicly address the allegations in detail. Her camp has instead questioned the manner by which the impeachment proceedings were conducted.

Standing among supporters

“Now, when the trial itself begins, that should be the Vice President’s opportunity to appear and present her evidence and arguments,” said Diokno, a member of the House prosecution panel.

The impeachment case is currently in its pretrial phase, with prosecutors and Duterte’s defense team working to simplify the issues, stipulate facts, identify evidence and witnesses, and finalize the schedule for trial proceedings.

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Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said last week that the Senate trial is expected to begin on July 6.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, spokesperson for the House prosecution team, likewise expressed hope that Duterte would personally attend the proceedings. He said her appearance could strengthen her standing among supporters while demonstrating confidence in her defense.

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‘No ghosting’

“Hopefully she appears, so it won’t be ghosting,” Adiong said in an interview on PRTV aired on Saturday, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday.

Adiong said Duterte’s presence could energize her political base and reinforce her claim that she has committed no wrongdoing.

“You also have to show cause to your supporters, at the same time, stand on your position that ‘I’m physically here, and that my defense team is here’ to show to the people that ‘I’m not afraid and I have committed no wrongdoing,’” he said.

“It’s difficult to defend something that refuses to be defended,” he added.

‘Political neutrality’

Diokno, meanwhile, urged senators who will sit as judges in the impeachment court to decide the case based solely on evidence and not political affiliations.

“The Senate’s impeachment rules require all senator-judges to observe political neutrality,” he said. “This means no political color should enter their hearings or decisions.”

“As judges, they must be impartial and objective. Their mindset should be fair,” he added.

Diokno said the impeachment rules were designed to preserve public confidence in the proceedings, particularly in a politically charged case with far-reaching consequences.

He also stressed that House prosecutors were focused on presenting evidence rather than counting potential votes for conviction or acquittal in the Senate.

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“For the prosecution, our focus now is to lay out the evidence clearly,” Diokno said. “We are not thinking about the vote count. Our only purpose is to make our presentation of evidence convincing and persuasive.” INQ