Vice President Sara Duterte — Inquirer photo by Grig C. Montegrande
MANILA, Philippines — The initiation of the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte suffers from “serious constitutional infirmities,” her legal team maintained on Monday.
Duterte’s defense team made the pronouncement amid calls pressuring the Senate to immediately proceed with the impeachment trial.
The team said they would refrain from commenting on the calls specifically, but it maintained that the impeachment against Duterte had “constitutional infirmities.”
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“We reiterate our firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process — particularly the Fourth Impeachment Complaint — suffers from serious constitutional infirmities,” the team said in a statement.
“The impeachment process must never be weaponized to harass, silence, or eliminate political opponents. It is a constitutional mechanism, not a political tool,” it added.
However, Duterte’s legal team also maintained that it would be ready to face the charges should the trial proceed.
“We stand ready to confront the charges and expose the baselessness of the accusations against the Vice President,” the statement said.
The conduct of Duterte’s trial was seemingly put on hold after the Senate delayed the presentation of the articles of impeachment against Duterte further from June 2 to June 11, 2025.
This move by the upper chamber prompted several groups, former lawmakers, and even law schools to call on the Senate to proceed with the impeachment trial as part of its constitutional duty.
Duterte was impeached by the House of Representatives by overwhelmingly 215 votes last February 5. The verified complaint was sent to the Senate on the same day. However, her case remains pending in the 19th Congress — with only a few days left it finally adjourns and transitions into the 20th Congress. /atm