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Michael Poa, legal counsel for Vice President Sara Duterte, arrives at the Senate yesterday with five suitcases containing her answer to the Articles of Impeachment.
Ryan Baldemor
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte formally filed her answer to the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate yesterday, asking the impeachment court to dismiss the case while slamming what her legal team described as major constitutional infirmities and unattached evidence that failed to rise to the level of an impeachable offense.
Her legal team arrived at the Senate ahead of the strict 7 p.m. deadline, carrying suitcases filled with annexes that accompanied the main 50-page document.
Speaking to reporters after the filing, Duterte legal team spokesman Michael Poa said that while the Vice President is participating in the Senate impeachment court, the submission is completely “without prejudice” to her pending petition before the Supreme Court.
The defense centers on alleged procedural defects committed during the House committee on justice proceedings, particularly regarding how key pieces of evidence against the Vice President were handled.
“There are no evidences attached and the evidences disclosed, they were only gathered after we filed our answer to the committee on justice,” Poa said, citing Anti-Money Laundering Council reports as examples of evidence missing from the original complaint.
He noted that their ultimate prayer is the immediate dismissal of the case.
Poa also announced that Duterte will impose a media blackout on herself regarding the merits of the case, adhering strictly to the sub judice rules of the legislature.
“She will not grant interviews until pre-trial and trial begins,” Poa said.
Despite the deeply divided nature of the upper chamber, Poa stressed that the defense team is extending good faith to the tribunal.
“Impeachment… political process… we believe in political neutrality... we submit to whatever happens,” he said.
Duty must be done
According to House lead prosecutor and Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro, senator-judges who are facing criminal raps are still expected to do their constitutional duty during the impeachment trial.
“For me, I do not consider those cases against the senator-judges as related in any way to this impeachment proceedings. Those are separate. So regardless of the controversies surrounding members of the majority bloc, I still defer to their judgment in as far as the impeachment trial is concerned,” she said.
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was nabbed yesterday for the non-bailable case of plunder, while Sen. Ronald dela Rosa is currently hiding from authorities due to an outstanding International Criminal Court arrest warrant. Several other majority senators are being investigated for various criminal offenses.
Luistro also recalled last year’s thwarted impeachment trial, saying the case must not be archived nor remanded back to the House. — Delon Porcalla, Andrew Ronquillo
