Vice President Sara Duterte has informed her legal team that she wants the Senate impeachment trial against her to proceed.
In a media interview on Saturday, May 17, the Vice President said her defense lawyers are working “in full throttle” to prevent the trial.
However, Duterte herself is pushing to face her prosecutors.
“Lawyers, okay naman sila, in full throttle ‘yung kanilang preparations sa impeachment. And, of course, they do not want a trial. As lawyers, alam naman natin ang galawan ng mga abugado. Madami silang paraan sa batas as a legal recourse for their clients,” she said.
“Sinabihan ko na rin talaga sila. I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga,” she added.
Duterte also expressed that she is “at peace” with whatever the outcome the impeachment trial may bring. The Proceedings are expected to begin in July under the newly elected lawmakers of the 20th Congress.
Eleven lawmakers, including incoming Reps. Leila de Lima of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist and Chel Diokno of Akbayan Partylist, will form the House prosecution team.
Both De Lima and Diokno are ardent critics of her father.
De Lima served nearly seven years in detention based on allegedly trumped-up drug charges by the Duterte administration.
“Wala akong expectations of acquittal or a guilty verdict. Basta sa akin lang, tinanggap ko na kung ano iyong magiging verdict, guilty man ‘yon or acquittal, I’m already at peace,” Duterte said.
The official noted that it is “wrong” to start counting the guilty or not guilty votes now since the senators have yet to see the evidence from the prosecutors or the defense.
“So, mali siguro na magbilangan ng boto ng walang trial. Pero ginagawa siya ng publiko. Basta sa akin, tanggap ko kung anong mangyayari, anong magiging ending noong impeachment,” she said.
The House of Representatives impeached Duterte last Feb. 5. The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate on the same day, but the upper chamber took a recess without tackling the issue.
In the verified complaint sent to Senate, there were seven Articles of Impeachment—betrayal of public trust for an assassination threat against President Marcos, his wife, and the House Speaker, betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption due to the misuse of public funds, betrayal of public trust and bribery within the Department of Education (DepEd), violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to unexplained wealth, commission of high crimes due to involvement in extrajudicial killings, betrayal of public trust due to alleged destabilization plots, and betrayal of public trust due to her unbecoming conduct as Vice President. (Raymund Antonio)
