MANILA — House prosecutors on Sunday said many Filipinos want Vice President Sara Duterte to personally address the impeachment charges against her during her upcoming Senate trial, which is expected to begin on July 6, saying the proceedings will give her the opportunity to answer allegations of corruption, misuse of public funds and constitutional violations.
Akbayan Rep. Chel Diokno said the impeachment trial would allow Duterte to present her side and rebut accusations that led the House of Representatives to impeach her and transmit the case to the Senate.
“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.”
The House impeached Duterte, 48, on May 11 after 257 lawmakers endorsed articles of impeachment accusing her of misusing confidential funds, bribing officials to bypass procurement rules, accumulating unexplained wealth and threatening to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former Speaker Martin Romualdez killed if she were assassinated.
Duterte has denied wrongdoing through her allies and legal team but has not publicly addressed the allegations in detail. Her camp has instead questioned how the impeachment proceedings were conducted.
“Now, when the trial itself begins, that should be the Vice President’s opportunity to appear and present her evidence and arguments,” said Diokno, who is a member of the House prosecution panel.
The impeachment case is currently in its pretrial phase. Prosecutors and Duterte’s defense team are working to simplify the issues, stipulate facts, identify evidence and witnesses, and finalize the schedule for trial proceedings.
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, also expressed hope that Duterte would personally attend the proceedings. He said her appearance could strengthen support among her political base and demonstrate confidence in her defense.
“Hopefully she appears, so it won’t be ghosting,” Adiong said in an interview on PRTV aired Saturday, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday.
Adiong said Duterte’s presence could energize her supporters and reinforce her assertion that she 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.
Diokno also urged senators who will serve as judges in the impeachment court to decide the case based on evidence rather than 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 aim to preserve public confidence in the proceedings, particularly in a politically charged case with significant consequences.
He also said House prosecutors are focusing on presenting evidence instead of counting potential votes for conviction or acquittal.
“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.”