DAVAO CITY – Vice President Sara Z. Duterte has urged the public and political observers to refrain from pushing the inhibition of senator-judges in the upcoming impeachment proceedings based solely on perceived biases for or against her.

Speaking in a press briefing following the Pasidungog 2025 of the Office of the Vice President at the SMX Convention Center here on Monday, Vice President Duterte emphasized that disqualifying senators from participating in the trial based on their stance towards her could compromise the entire process.

“We cannot ask senators to inhibit themselves simply because they are perceived as biased. A person’s position is either for or against Inday Sara. If we use that as a standard for inhibition, we would have to disqualify many senators on both sides,” Vice President Duterte said in a Filipino dialect.

Vice President Duterte cited Sen. Risa Hontiveros as an example, pointing out a past public statement in which the senator allegedly called for dismantling the Duterte political clan. The Vice President questioned whether such comments should warrant Hontiveros’ inhibition if bias was the sole criterion.

“If we are to be fair, we should also call for the inhibition of those who have clearly shown bias against me, including Sen. Hontiveros, who publicly said that the Duterte family must be destroyed,” she said.

Despite tensions surrounding the impeachment process, Vice President Duterte called for confidence in the integrity of the Senate as an institution. She asked people to give senator-judges the benefit of the doubt.

“I believe they will perform their duties fairly and by their oath,” the Vice President added.

Her statement came amid growing debates on impartiality and due process as the Senate prepares for the high-profile impeachment proceedings, which have drawn intense public and political scrutiny.

Vice President Duterte said her appearance at the impeachment trial would depend on the advice of her legal counsel who will determine if her presence before the impeachment court will be necessary when proceedings begin.

She addressed recent criticisms over the country’s economic downturn amid her looming impeachment, asserting that investor confidence in the country had already eroded long before the impeachment proceedings began.

“Whether the impeachment is there or not, the truth is investor confidence is already gone,” Vice President Duterte said in a strongly worded statement, emphasizing that foreign direct investments have plummeted.

“So, don’t use me as the scapegoat for the poor state of our economy,” the Vice President added.

Vice President Duterte downplayed that the impeachment represents accountability, pointing out that the process only results in two penalties: Removal from office and permanent disqualification from public service.

She clarified that no criminal penalties are involved in impeachment because it is not a criminal case. She said if these people genuinely want accountability, they should file cases in court.

The Vice President raised concerns about the legitimacy of the impeachment process itself, alleging that some lawmakers may have received money or budget incentives in exchange for their signatures.

“Let us not pretend this is purely about justice. Many congressmen admitted that their signatures on the Articles of Impeachment came with strings attached,” she said.

“They didn’t even transmit the articles themselves. We should be questioning how the impeachment process was crafted and how it reached the Senate,” Vice President Duterte added.

Vice President Duterte’s remarks come amid increasing scrutiny from political groups and business sectors, with some organizations pointing to political instability as a key factor driving economic uncertainty.

She insisted that economic issues predate the current political controversy and that deeper institutional reforms—not political blame games—are necessary to move forward.

The impeachment court summoned Vice President Duterte and her legal team on June 11. Her trial follows her impeachment by the House of Representatives on Feb. 5.