De Lima Criticizes Vice President’s Statement on Impeachment Trial
Incoming Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima has dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s controversial statement, “I want a bloodbath,” as mere “mindless arrogance” and “toxic rhetoric.” The exact four-word keyphrase “I want a bloodbath” was highlighted early in the exchange, underscoring the tensions surrounding the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.
“Dyan naman sila magaling eh: braggadocio, mindless arrogance, toxic rhetoric, violence,” De Lima wrote on social media. She pointed out that the Vice President’s aggressive remarks only reveal a pattern of hostility rather than constructive discourse.
Clarifying the Impeachment Trial Process
De Lima emphasized that during an impeachment trial, only the individual being impeached faces scrutiny. “In an impeachment trial, the only one who is on trial is the person impeached. So there can be no bloodbath,” she said, clearly referring to Vice President Duterte, who is set to face trial in the Senate acting as the impeachment court, expected to commence in July.
Just days before, De Lima accepted an offer from House leadership to join the prosecution team against Duterte, who faces seven allegations included in the impeachment complaint.
Vice President Duterte’s Call for a Bloodbath
On May 17, Vice President Duterte made a public declaration, instructing her legal team to prepare for the Senate trial. She said, “As lawyers, alam naman natin ang galawan ng mga abugado. Marami silang paraan sa batas as a legal recourse for their clients. Pero sinabihan ko na rin talaga sila, really, I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga.”
This statement reflects her expectation that the trial would be a fierce battle, with intense confrontations expected.
De Lima Assures a Fair and Orderly Trial
However, De Lima countered that if any blood is to be spilled, it will be that of the person on trial—not the prosecutors, senators, administration, or the public. “If any blood is spilled, it can only be that of the person impeached, not the prosecutors’, not the senators-judges’, not the administration’s, not the people’s. We will make sure of that,” she asserted.
She stressed that the impeachment trial should serve as a solemn process for accountability, free from theatrics and chaos. “And VP Sara is always welcome to witness how her trial will be a serious affair where her rights are respected and the proceedings fair, devoid of the drama and chaos that she is asking her defense team to orchestrate,” De Lima added.
“To stress, an impeachment trial is not a show of brute force but a sacrosanct constitutional process of accountability. No room for chaos, drama, and theatrics that Sara asked her defense team to orchestrate. Contempt ang naghihintay sa kanila if they even dare to,” the congresswoman-elect concluded.
Looking Ahead to the Senate Trial
As the Senate prepares to act as the impeachment court, all eyes remain on how the trial will unfold. The emphasis from officials like De Lima is on maintaining respect for due process, ensuring that the trial remains a dignified forum for justice rather than a battleground of political posturing.
For more news and updates on the impeachment trial, visit Filipinokami.com.