VP Sara Duterte’s Impeachment Strategy Explained
Vice President Sara Duterte’s camp adopted a deliberate approach during the impeachment proceedings by avoiding formal interviews, her spokesperson Michael Poa revealed. This strategy aimed to prevent premature disclosures that could weaken their defense.
When questioned about the names listed in the confidential funds of Duterte’s offices, such as Mary Grace Piattos, Poa declined to confirm whether these were aliases or allowed by law. “We are not here to state yet if those are aliases or if that’s correct because I think these things will be presented better before either a court of law or (an) impeachment court,” he explained. “I really apologize. It’s not that I don’t want to answer you directly. It’s just that we really don’t want to preempt our defenses.” Community members noted this cautious stance as a key part of their legal approach.
Strategic Silence During Proceedings
Poa further detailed that the decision to refrain from interviews from February up until shortly before the Supreme Court’s ruling was intentional. “That’s also why we were—it was strategic for us not to really take interviews from February all the way to just a few weeks ago before the Supreme Court decision came out – because we don’t really want to preempt our defenses and make this a trial by publicity,” he added.
Local leaders observed that this silence aimed to avoid shaping public opinion before the legal matters were fully addressed.
Timeline of Impeachment Developments
On February 5, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, with 215 members supporting the complaint. This marked a significant political event that drew nationwide attention.
However, on July 25, the Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting announced that the Articles of Impeachment were deemed unconstitutional for violating the one-year bar rule under the 1987 Constitution. Officials reported that this ruling effectively halted the impeachment process for the moment.
House’s Appeal and Possible Consequences
In response, the lower chamber filed a motion for reconsideration to challenge the Supreme Court’s decision. Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez publicly confirmed this move on Monday, signaling the House’s intent to pursue the case further.
If Vice President Sara Duterte is found guilty in a Senate impeachment trial, she could face permanent disqualification from holding public office. This serious consequence underscores the high stakes involved in the ongoing political drama, experts noted.
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