Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, Sept. 18, accused lawmakers of using the House hearing to establish a case against her eventual impeachment.
"Very obvious yung kanilang ginagawa na nagpapractice sila kung ano 'yung gagawin nila (It's very obvious that they're practicing for what they will eventually do) [for my impeachment]," Duterte told reporters after her surprise attendance at the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability inquiry into the Office of the Vice President's (OVP) alleged misuse of public funds.
Just like what happened last year during an inquiry into OVP's use of confidential funds, Duterte believed that lawmakers are now using House hearings for her eventual impeachment, considering the language being used by congressmen during inquiries, such as "malfeasance" and "misfeasance," against her.
That means that for them, there is wrongdoing, the Vice President noted.
"'Iyon yung position ko, nagpapractice sila kung ano yung kakagat sa impeachment (That's my position. They're practicing for my impeachment)," Duterte said.
The official said that she also heard from lawmakers from Mindanao that they were already talking about her impeachment.
She also talked about ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro's recent interview, where she already laid out three possible grounds for her ouster.
"Kahit anong gawin nila, wala talaga kaming ginawang mali sa Office of the Vice President (Whatever they do, we know for sure that we haven't done any wrongdoing in the Office of the Vice President)," she said.
Duterte did not answer when asked whether she is confident that the possible case of impeachment would prosper.
She said she would only make comments once she already receives the possible articles of impeachment that would be filed against her.
The Vice President also said she and President Marcos, her running mate during the elections, have not talked about it.
"Doon tayo magbabase kung ano isasagot natin dahil hindi naman natin alam kung ano yung final (We will base our answer from there because we do not know yet what is final)," she said.