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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara on impeachment trial: 'I want a bloodbath'

VP Sara on impeachment trial: 'I want a bloodbath'

Published May 17, 2025 01:46 pm
Vice President Sara Duterte has already told her lawyers that she wants the impeachment trial against her in the Senate to push through as she is looking forward to a “bloodbath.”

Vice President Sara Duterte (MB File Photo)


In a media interview on Saturday, May 17, the Vice President shared that her defense lawyers for the impeachment trial are “in full throttle” and are trying to prevent a trial.

However, Duterte herself is pushing to face her prosecutors.

“Lawyers, okay naman sila (they are okay), in full throttle ‘yung kanilang preparations sa impeachment (their preparations for the impeachment are in full throttle). And, of course, they do not want a trial. As lawyers, alam naman natin ang galawan ng mga abugado. Madami silang paraan sa batas (we know how lawyers work. They have many options) as a legal recourse for their clients,” she said.

“Sinabihan ko na rin talaga sila (I told them). I truly want a trial because I want a bloodbath talaga (really),” she added.

Duterte and her brother, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, attended a thanksgiving mass at the Carmelite Church in Lanang, Davao City on Saturday.

Aside from Rep. Duterte’s win, former president Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte also won the mayoralty and vice mayoralty races, respectively, in their hometown.

The rest of the Duterte kin, which included Rep. Duterte’s son, also won their respective seats in the midterm polls.

‘I’m at peace’

Duterte also said that she’s already “at peace” no matter the results of the impeachment trial, which is expected to start by July under the new crops of lawmakers at the 20th Congress.

Eleven lawmakers, including incoming Reps. Leila de Lima of Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist and Chel Diokno of Akbayan Partylist, will form the House prosecution team.

Both De Lima and Diokno are ardent critics of her father, with De Lima serving nearly seven years in detention based on allegedly trumped-up drug charges by the Duterte administration.

“Wala akong (I don’t have) expectations of acquittal or a guilty verdict. Basta sa akin lang, tinanggap ko na kung ano iyong magiging verdict, guilty man yon or acquittal (For me, I already accepted the verdict, may that be guilty or acquittal), I’m already at peace,” Duterte said.

The official noted that it is “wrong” to start counting the guilty or not guilty votes now since the senators have yet to see the evidence from the prosecutors or the defense.

“So, mali siguro na magbilangan ng boto ng walang trial. Pero ginagawa siya ng publiko. Basta sa akin, tanggap ko kung anong mangyayari, anong magiging ending noong impeachment (it is wrong to count the votes without the trial yet. But the public is doing it. For me, I accept whatever will happen, whatever the ending of the impeachment will be),” she said.

The House of Representatives impeached Duterte last Feb. 5. The Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate on the same day, but the upper chamber took a recess without tackling the issue.

In the verified complaint sent to Senate, there were seven Articles of Impeachment—betrayal of public trust for an assassination threat against President Marcos, his wife, and the House Speaker, betrayal of public trust and graft and corruption due to the misuse of public funds, betrayal of public trust and bribery within the Department of Education (DepEd), violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust due to unexplained wealth, commission of high crimes due to involvement in extrajudicial killings, betrayal of public trust due to alleged destabilization plots, and betrayal of public trust due to her unbecoming conduct as Vice President.

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