Trial spox: Senate keeps room ready for Sara Duterte's appearance

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate is prepared to receive Vice President Sara Duterte should she decide to attend her impeachment trial, with a holding room set aside for her, impeachment court spokesperson Atty. Regie Tongol said Friday.

“The Senate expects her to attend the impeachment trial every hearing day because it is her right as the respondent,” Tongol told reporters during a press briefing.

He said the Office of the Senate Secretary has prepared a holding room for Duterte “to respect the office that she holds as well, and the stature that she has in our system of government.”

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“Whether she decides to attend or not, the holding room is always ready for her. The expectation is that she will attend, so the Senate remains prepared,” he added.

Last Tuesday, Duterte visited the Senate ahead of the start of the second day of her impeachment trial where she met briefly with her defense team.

She then left before the trial started, leaving only one statement to the press, “In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.”

Asked if the said visit could have possibly signaled that she would attend the impeachment proceedings next week, particularly as her chief of staff, Office of the Vice President Undersecretary Zuleika Lopez, has been subpoenaed to testify as one of the prosecutor’s witnesses, Tongol said it would be Duterte’s prerogative.

Duterte is facing an impeachment trial before the Senate over four Articles of Impeachment, which include allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, bribery, amassing unexplained wealth, and the alleged assassination threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. /mr

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