MANILA, Philippines — Bayan Muna chairperson and lawyer Neri Colmenares on Wednesday said the prosecution holds the upper hand in the upcoming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, citing the strength of the evidence and the gravity of the charges filed against her.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Colmenares responded to Duterte’s recent assertion that her legal team is “more than confident” of defeating the case filed before the Senate.
“It’s not surprising for the Vice President to claim her defense is strong. But the impeachment complaint filed by Bayan Muna is also very strong—especially as it involves betrayal of public trust, which constitutes a clear violation of the oath of office,” Colmenares said.
Colmenares, who served as legal counsel for Bayan Muna during the filing of one of the impeachment complaints, specifically cited Duterte’s alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds, reportedly spent in just 11 days with questionable liquidation.
He stressed that Duterte has yet to offer a satisfactory explanation several months after the House of Representatives voted to impeach her on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint.
“Until now, there’s been no clear answer. I don’t see any viable defense during the trial either,” he said.
Impeachment Trial Set After Elections
Colmenares believes that the conclusion of the May 2025 midterm elections will allow legislators to vote more independently during the Senate trial.
“After the elections, lawmakers no longer need to consider re-election. Their judgment will rely solely on the merits and evidence, and for me, the case is very strong,” he added.
The Articles of Impeachment filed against Duterte include:
- Conspiracy to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez
- Malversation of confidential funds with questionable liquidation
- Bribery and corruption involving the Department of Education
- Unexplained wealth and failure to disclose in her SALN
- Involvement in extrajudicial killings during her time as Davao City mayor
- Destabilization efforts and conduct unbecoming of a Vice President
- Obstruction of investigations and threats against top officials
In response, Duterte filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court, seeking to stop the trial. She argued that the House committed grave abuse of discretion, claiming it violated the constitutional one-year ban on repeated impeachment proceedings by acting on a fourth complaint while ignoring the first three.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero earlier said the impeachment trial could conclude by October 2025, with proceedings set to begin in late July.
As the legal showdown approaches, both camps are preparing for what is expected to be one of the most closely watched political trials in recent Philippine history.