THE DEFENSE team of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte asserted that the Articles of Impeachment and the process itself suffer from “serious Constitutional infirmities.”
While refraining from directly commenting on internal Senate matters, the vice president’s legal counsel reiterated their firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process, specifically referring to what they term the “Fourth Impeachment Complaint,” is constitutionally flawed.
“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,” the statement said.
“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.
“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 statement further said.
The defense team’s statement comes amidst ongoing discussions in the Senate regarding the impeachment complaints.
On Monday, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero confirmed that no resolution has yet been filed to dismiss the impeachment case against Vice President Duterte. This followed an admission by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa that he had initiated a resolution seeking to cancel the proceedings.
Senator Imee Marcos had also previously confirmed the existence of several draft resolutions aimed at dismissing the articles of impeachment against the Vice President.
On Monday afternoon, June 9, 2025, Senator Risa Hontiveros formally moved to open the proceedings of the impeachment trial, saying this is part of the Senate’s constitutional responsibility.
“Hindi naman mahirap at matagal ang panunumpa at pagbabasa ng Articles of Impeachment, ‘di ba? Gawa na ang robes at ready na ang session hall. Hindi iyan aabutin ng isang oras, kaya bakit natin iiwasan ang napaka simpleng opening ng impeachment trial?” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros emphasized that the Senate must not ignore increasing calls from various sectors urging it to carry out its mandate. These calls come from religious groups, legal organizations like the Philippine Bar Association, academic institutions, and constitutional experts, including former Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna, Rene Sarmiento, and Christian Monsod.
“Maduduwag ba tayo sa simpleng pagbukas lang ng isang impeachment trial? Magbubulag-bulagan ba tayo sa malinaw na utos ng Konstitusyon at magbibingi-bingihan sa panawagan ng taumbayan? Sana hindi,” she added.
Also, Senator Loren Legarda called on the Senate to promptly hold a caucus and discuss the impeachment case in the plenary, saying, “It is incumbent upon the Senate to hold a caucus immediately and discuss it in the plenary so that the statements and decisions are not made unilaterally,” amid public confusion and differing opinions.
