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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara questions crossing of impeachment trial into 20th Congress

VP Sara questions crossing of impeachment trial into 20th Congress

Published Jun 4, 2025 09:57 am
Despite saying that she wants her impeachment trial in the Senate to proceed so she can face the allegations against her, Vice President Sara Duterte questioned the constitutionality of her impeachment trial crossing over to the 20th Congress.

           Vice President Sara Duterte delivers her speech at the “ICC, send Duterte home” rally held in The Hague on May 31, 2025. (OVP photo)             
In an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, where she visited former president Rodrigo Duterte in detention, the Vice President said her legal team is also questioning the possible continuation of her impeachment trial into the next Congress.

“Yan, kinukuwestiyon din namin ‘yung pag-crossover ng 19th to the 20th Congress, dahil ang composition ng House of (Representatives) (We are also questioning the crossover of the 19th Congress to the 20th Congress, because of the composition of the House of Representatives),” she said.

However, the Vice President refused to further explain her response as she wouldn’t want her lawyers to reprimand her once more.

“Yung lawyers ko nalang magsalita, Ma'am, kasi papagalitan na naman ako nila (I’ll let my lawyers answer, Ma’am, because they will chastise me again),” she added.

The Fortun-Narvasa-Salazar Law Offices is handling Duterte’s impeachment case.

The Vice President was impeached by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5, with the Articles of Impeachment reaching the Senate on the same day. However, the Senate did not tackle the impeachment before it went on recess, and Senate President Francis Escudero refused to call for a special session.

He earlier scheduled the opening of the impeachment trial on June 2, but pushed it again to June 11, citing legislative agenda as the priority.

His colleagues in Congress, as well as several law experts, have called him out for the blatant violation of the Philippine Constitution that underscores the importance of the impeachment proceedings above legislative work.

While there are reports that Escudero may have been trying to protect the Vice President to earn points with the Duterte bloc in the Senate and secure his seat as its leader, there were also some lawmakers who criticized his cowardice in facing the wrath of the Dutertes and their supporters.

But the Vice President took Escudero’s side, saying she doesn’t know him to be a coward.

“Hindi natatakot yon (He doesn’t get scared). I do not know him natatakot na klase na politiko. Hindi ko alam saan nanggaling yon sinasabing takot (as a politician who gets scared. I don’t know where that is coming from),” she added.

Related Tags

Sara Duterte impeachment trial 20th Congress Chiz Escudero
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