MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte is prepared to answer the impeachment complaints against her, but only before the “proper forum,” her legal team said Wednesday.
The statement came after Duterte skipped the House Committee on Justice’s impeachment hearing on March 25. Her lawyer, Michael Poa, said during a press conference that the Vice President and her defense team are ready to respond to the allegations “before the appropriate forum.”
Another member of the legal team, Sheila Sison, argued that the House of Representatives has no authority to conduct what she described as a “trial,” calling the proceedings unconstitutional. She emphasized that under the Constitution, only the Senate has the power to try impeachment cases.
“The respondent is prepared to meet the accusations against her but before the proper forum,” Sison said, adding that Duterte is not waiving any of her constitutional rights or objections.
Duterte’s camp earlier submitted a letter to committee chair Gerville Luistro, accusing the panel of exceeding its authority by turning what should be a preliminary inquiry into a “mini-trial.” The Vice President has also previously described the proceedings as a “fishing expedition.”
Luistro, however, maintained that the hearing is not a trial but a “clarificatory hearing” meant to determine probable cause before any case is elevated to the Senate.
The impeachment complaints against Duterte include allegations of betrayal of public trust, bribery, graft and corruption, and the alleged misuse of P612 million in confidential funds.