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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
March 3, 2025 | 4:43pm
The House Committee on Appropriations scrutinized the proposed P2.037-billion budget of the Office of the Vice President under Vice President Sara Duterte on Aug. 27, 2024.
HouseofRepsPH / Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has confirmed that former Office of the Vice President spokesperson Michael Poa has joined the legal team representing Vice President Sara Duterte in her petition against the impeachment case filed against her.
The Supreme Court's Office of the Spokesperson told reporters on Monday, March 3: "We are confirming that Atty. Michael Poa filed his Entry of Appearance as co-counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte.”
Poa, a lawyer by profession, said he views the petition as raising important constitutional concerns that need to be addressed, which he discussed with Duterte before deciding to join her legal team.
“The decision to be co-counsel for the Vice President was brought about by the series of discussions I had with her,” Poa told Philstar.com.
“In my view, the petition filed before the Supreme Court also raises constitutional questions/concerns that need to be addressed," Poa added.
This development comes after Duterte filed a petition before the high court questioning the constitutionality of her impeachment by the House of Representatives, which was passed after 215 lawmakers signed in favor of it.
Hoping for the impeachment complaint's nullification, Duterte asked the Supreme Court to issue a prohibition to prevent the Senate from acting on the case.
Besides Poa, another lawyer representing the vice president is Israelito Torreon, who also serves as one of the legal counsels for detained doomsday preacher Apollo Quiboloy.
Return to Duterte's team. Poa’s decision to join Duterte’s legal team follows his resignation as the vice president's spokesperson last year.
Poa announced that he vacated his post in November 2024 amid congressional scrutiny over the OVP’s use of confidential funds. He stated at the time that the pre-termination of his contract as a consultant was a “mutual decision” between him and Duterte, as he felt he could no longer maintain objectivity in the role while answering lawmakers' questions during hearings.
Before serving an OVP official, Poa was also the spokesperson of the Department of Education when Duterte was education secretary prior to her resignation in June 2024.
Poa was known as Duterte’s go-to crisis communicator, handling sensitive issues that surrounded her tenure in both offices. — with reports by Ian Laqui
