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Bella Cariaso - The Philippine Star
June 5, 2025 | 12:00am
Vice President Sara Duterte.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — Will the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte push through?
According to the accused herself, there are several technicalities that must first be overcome before it can proceed.
“Based on my understanding, it (impeachment case) has many procedural lapses that violate the Constitution,” she said in a chance interview in The Hague.
Duterte did not comment on the Makabayan bloc’s claim that President Marcos contributed to the delay of the impeachment trial.
Former and current lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc said Marcos doesn’t support the impeachment case against Duterte, fearing the same fate.
The Senate will decide on June 11 whether it will formally convene as an impeachment court to try Duterte.
The Vice President is expected to return to the country today after spending her 47th birthday with her father, detained former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Sara defends Chiz
Meanwhile, Duterte took up the cudgels for Senate President Francis Escudero amid allegations that he was deliberately delaying the impeachment case against her.
“We do not remember him…I do not know him to be an easily scared kind of politician,” she said.
Escudero has come under public scrutiny for rescheduling the reading of the Articles of Impeachment to June 11.
“I do not know where it is coming from, that Sen. Chiz Escudero is afraid,” Duterte said.
‘Hands off’
Malacañang reiterated yesterday that President Marcos will not meddle in the impeachment trial of his former ally Duterte, amid debates over whether the proceedings can cross over to the next Congress.
“The President said that this is now in the hands of the Senate and that the President will not interfere in any debate that is taking place in the Senate,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told a press briefing.
She stressed that the President always wants due process to be followed and the law to be upheld, not just in impeachment proceedings.
Castro also branded as “intrigues” Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel’s claim that Marcos was sending signals that he was against the impeachment process.
“That’s pure intrigue. That should be avoided, considering he (Manuel) is a lawmaker,” Castro said.
“First of all, he (Marcos) didn’t say he didn’t want the impeachment process. It was clear when he was asked about it in Kuala Lumpur, he did not want impeachment. But the problem is VP Sara is already impeached, so the only issue here will be acquittal or conviction in the Senate. So we must correct that.The President also said to let the process take its course,” Castro said.
House winds down
The House committee on good government and public accountability yesterday terminated its investigation on the alleged misuse of the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education of their P612.5-million confidential funds.
Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, the committee’s chairman, said that they will present the committee’s report anytime next week. – Helen Flores, Jose Rodel Clapano
