Malacañang on Tuesday urged Vice President Sara Duterte to personally appear before the Senate impeachment court, saying the proceedings provide an opportunity for her to directly address the allegations filed against her.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Duterte’s appearance before the impeachment court would allow her to confront the evidence and witnesses presented against her if she believes she has done nothing wrong.
Duterte did not attend the opening of her impeachment trial on Monday, saying that her decision to personally testify would depend on her legal strategy and constitutional rights.
Castro clarified that the Vice President’s testimony is not yet expected at this stage because the trial has not reached the portion where Duterte may take the witness stand.
“Bilang isang Filipino at abogado, mas maganda na ang isang tao na naaakusahan ay makaharap niya ‘yung mga witnesses against her,” Castro said in a chance interview.
She added that if she were representing a client who believed they were innocent, she would advise that person to directly face the accusations during the proper stage of the proceedings.
“Mas maganda, kung ako ang lawyer at alam ko na walang mali, malinis, walang pwedeng ikaso sa kanya, papaharapin ko siya para mapasinungalingan lahat ang mga akusasyon sa kanya,” Castro said.
The Palace official, however, acknowledged that Duterte’s legal team has the authority to decide how to handle her defense during the impeachment proceedings.
The Vice President is facing allegations of culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, and misuse of confidential funds amounting to more than P612 million.
The Senate impeachment court began hearing the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte on Monday. Under the Constitution, a conviction requires the support of at least two-thirds of all members of the Senate acting as an impeachment court.
If convicted, Duterte would be removed from office and permanently disqualified from holding any public office.
Meanwhile, Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not closely following every development in the impeachment trial despite its political significance.
“Kapag sinabi bang monitoring eh nakatutok, hindi siya ganun. Maraming trabaho ang Pangulo… ‘Yung tutok hindi,” she said.
The Palace earlier said Marcos remains focused on governance and would only be briefed on significant developments related to the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Sen. Erwin Tulfo rejected claims that the impeachment trial was being used to divert public attention from allegations involving irregularities in flood control projects.
Tulfo denied that the proceedings were serving as a distraction from other national issues.
Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN
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