MANILA, Philippines — The House prosecution panel on Friday formally opposed Vice President Sara Duterte’s motion to dismiss the impeachment complaint against her, challenging statements made in her ad cautelam pleading.
In a response submitted to the impeachment court, the panel asserted that Duterte’s motion contained “misleading and false material statements” and urged the court to reject the vice president’s bid for dismissal.
The prosecution described her legal arguments as baseless and claimed they were intended to delay or derail the proceedings.
The panel reiterated that the charges filed against Duterte merit a full and fair hearing in court. They maintained that attempts to sidestep the process through legal maneuvers undermine the judicial system and the constitutional mandate governing impeachment.
“The charges against the vice president should be resolved based on facts and evidence,” the panel said. “Efforts to avoid accountability by procedural shortcuts must be rejected.”
The impeachment complaint accuses Duterte of offenses allegedly warranting her removal from office. Details of the accusations have not been disclosed in full, but the case has sparked widespread attention due to its political implications.