Amid the House Legal Proceedings, VP Sara Duterte’s Camp Questions Constitutionality of Process
SARA DUTERTE’S CAMP – Atty. Michael Poa asserted that the Senate is supposedly the “proper forum” to discuss the impeachment raps.
Four impeachment raps were filed against Vice Pres. Sara Duterte before the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives. Two of the impeachment complaints were found sufficient in form, substance, and grounds by the House Committee on Justice.
The House Justice panel is allowed to continue its legal proceedings despite the Congressional recess from March 21 to May 3. After the House found the two impeachment raps sufficient in grounds, it set schedules for the hearing.
The first ‘mini-trial’ was held yesterday, March 25. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte skipped the House hearing on the impeachment complaints filed against her. The panel which also invited the complainants pushed through with the hearing.
Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s camp previously asserted that her personal attendance to the hearing is not required. Several grounds were raised against the Vice President which include the following:
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount over PHP 500 million confidential funds (CF) allocated to the Office of the Vice President from 2022 to 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in amassing and converting the amount of not less than PHP 112.5 million of confidential funds allocated to the Department of Education (DepEd) for the year 2023
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust by corrupting and bribing officials of the DepEd
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes in contracting to murder or assassinate the president, the first lady, and the former speaker of the House
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in amassing unexplained wealth and failing to disclose all her properties and interests in properties in her SALN
- Alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust in committing acts of political destabilization and the high crimes of sedition and insurrection
Following the absence of the Vice President at the hearing of the House Committee on Justice, based on News5, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s camp asserted that the Senate is supposedly the “proper forum” to tackle the impeachment complaints.
“Malinaw naman sa Saligang Batas natin na pagdating sa initiation of impeachment proceeding, ‘yan ay kapangyarihan ng House of Representatives. Pero pagdating po sa trial or pagta-try ng impeachment, ‘yan po ay sa Senado na,” Atty. Michael Poa, the spokesperson of Duterte’s legal team, said.
Based on the post, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte’s camp also stressed their belief that the proceedings are allegedly exceeding the jurisdiction of the House already.
“That’s why ang posisyon namin ay this is already exceeding the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives,” Poa added.
Amid the challenging situation in the Philippines now due to the soaring oil costs, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte released a video message wherein she stressed that the current happenings are not normal.
