Sara Duterte's defense says ready for trial, but calls process ‘flawed’

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June 9, 2025 | 2:25pm

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte's defense team is prepared to confront the charges against her in an impeachment trial even as they maintain that the process itself is constitutionally flawed.

In a statement that reacts to calls for the Senate to swiftly begin the trial, Duterte's lawyers made clear they would not back down from the proceedings while simultaneously challenging their legitimacy.

"We deem it proper to refrain from commenting on matters that are exclusive and internal to the Senate. However, we reiterate our firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process—particularly the Fourth Impeachment Complaint—suffers from serious constitutional infirmities," Duterte's lawyers said on Monday, June 9.

Despite their objections, the defense team added: "Nevertheless, should the Senate choose to proceed, we stand ready to confront the charges and expose the baselessness of the accusations against the Vice President."

The lawyers' statement comes as pressure mounts on the Senate to begin the impeachment trial, which has stalled since the House transmitted the articles of impeachment on February 5. 

The reading of the articles of impeachment was earlier postponed from June 2 to June 11 to supposedly give the upper chamber time to deliberate on priority bills. But this means the Senate was left with a few days to convene the impeachment court before the 19th Congress adjourns on June 14.

Senate President Chiz Escudero's refusal to immediately convene the impeachment court has drawn ire from House lawmakers and civil society. Legal experts have said the upper chamber is constitutionally required to "forthwith proceed" once impeachment articles are received from the House. 

Duterte's defense team, meanwhile, repeated its accusation that the impeachment process has been politicized. "The impeachment process must never be weaponized to harass, silence, or eliminate political opponents. It is a constitutional mechanism, not a political tool," they said in their statement on Monday.  

Legal moves to stop impeachment

While Duterte herself has expressed readiness to begin the trial, legal moves by her and her lawyers to stop the impeachment have indicated otherwise.

The vice president filed a petition before the Supreme Court in February seeking to nullify the impeachment complaint against her. The petition accuses the House of Representatives of breaching the constitutional provision that prohibits more than one impeachment proceeding from being initiated in the same year. 

On the same day, Duterte's supporters filed a petition before the High Court to stop the Senate from proceeding with the impeachment trial.

Senate minority to end delays

Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday said that she and Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel will move for the opening of the trial during Monday's plenary session. 

Hontiveros said the oath-taking and reading of articles of impeachment should not take more than an hour and that the upper chamber has ample time to conduct the proceedings before it adjourns three days from now. 

Duterte became the first vice president in Philippine history to be impeached when 240 House lawmakers endorsed the impeachment complaint in February. The articles charge her with graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, among others. 

RELATED: The allegations against VP Sara Duterte in impeachment proceedings