The House prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial told the Senate on Monday that her official answer to the articles of impeachment failed to provide “material response” to the accusations against her, prompting them to forgo filing a formal rebuttal.
In a five-page manifestation submitted through House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil, the prosecution argued that Duterte’s response focused on procedural, jurisdictional and constitutional objections rather than addressing the factual allegations contained in the complaint.
“The Answer raises no material factual issue that requires a responsive pleading,” the manifestation stated.
“It does not meaningfully engage the factual allegations in the Articles of Impeachment, but instead concentrates on procedural, jurisdictional and constitutional objections directed against the continuation of the proceedings,” it added.
The filing effectively concludes the initial phase of the impeachment proceedings, which began when the Senate convened as an impeachment court on May 18 and directed Duterte to answer the charges two days later.
Duterte, through her lawyers, submitted her response on June 1, arguing that the impeachment case should be dismissed because it allegedly suffers from “fatal constitutional, procedural and substantive defects.”
Prosecutors maintained that Duterte’s answer failed to directly contest the allegations and instead sought the outright dismissal of the complaint.
“The Answer offers no coherent factual narrative that directly refutes the charges set forth in the Articles of Impeachment,” they said in the manifestation.
The panel said Duterte did not provide explanations addressing allegations involving the misuse of confidential funds, bribery, unexplained wealth and an alleged assassination plot against President Marcos, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez.
According to them, Duterte’s filing “does not function as a genuine response to the charges, but as an attempt to secure the outright dismissal of the impeachment case on threshold constitutional and procedural grounds.”
The House impeached Duterte on May 11 after 257 lawmakers endorsed the complaint.
Prosecutors stressed that neither the Senate’s impeachment rules nor the 1987 Constitution allows the case to be dismissed solely on the basis of the objections raised by Duterte’s camp.
They argued that the issues raised in Duterte’s answer should be addressed during the trial and not as grounds for immediate dismissal.
They also rejected Duterte’s claim that the House committee on justice exceeded its authority during a series of clarificatory hearings in April that examined evidence supporting the complaint.
The document was received on Monday by Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. on behalf of the impeachment court.
The prosecutors said preparations are underway for the next phase of the proceedings, including the anticipated pretrial conference.
Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro, who heads the 11-member team, said they are finalizing their pretrial brief while awaiting the Senate’s official notice.
Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said the filing would include a list of witnesses, documentary evidence, proposed stipulations and other matters that will define the scope of the trial.
Luistro said they expect the pretrial conference to begin on June 18, with trial proceedings possibly starting on July 6.
The impeachment trial is expected to draw intense public attention as Duterte remains one of the country’s most influential political figures and a potential contender in the 2028 presidential election.
A conviction would require the votes of at least 16 of the Senate’s 24 members. If found guilty, the Vice President would be removed and could be permanently barred from holding public office.
